We're gonna have to learn how to be graceful winners again, it seems

[VFL-82-JP]

There is an art to being at the top of the game (any game). The very best of the best do it in a way that not only deserves recognition for their excellence, but also appreciation for their humanity.

A big part of that for the Vols fan base is going to be recognizing talent in our opponents and rivals. Case in point:

Bama is a hell of a good team. Bryce Young is certainly one of the best three quarterbacks in the college game. He impressed me hugely yesterday. Hendon's better, but there's not a wide gulf between those two talented lads.

And Gibbs is an amazingly talented back.

Henry To'o To'o is a very good linebacker, and "QB of the defense." He's smart, quick, and capable. And don't impugn his values too badly; remember, we likely sent him away from Knoxville, he probably did not leave willingly. "Traitor" is too easy a word to use, and very likely does not fit him. Yes, yes, he could definitely have picked a better destination when he was shown the door. But being offered a spot on the (then) best team in the nation is hard for a young man to pass up, esp. when he's suddenly homeless.

Nick Saban is the greatest college coach in history. I say that objectively, looking at the cold, hard facts. We may not like him, he may not be the most charming man or the warmest personality, but he is without a doubt a living, walking legend of the sport.

And the Bama fan base may not be very sophisticated, but they are loud and loyal (you know, minus the bandwagon fans, we're going to have our share of those too, so best not to throw stones at other people's glass houses). And they're actually more football-savvy than most other fan bases.

I have a lot of respect for the Alabama program. Hate them, want to stomp them into the mud every single time we meet, but respect the hell out of them, too.

And I really appreciate being in the SEC, best league in college sports. I love our traditions. I love our rivalries, and our competitiveness. I'm proud of little brother Kentucky for rising so high (we're going to crush them, but still proud of them). I appreciate UGa for the business-like nature of their rise in the East; Smart is a very good coach, and their roster is maybe the most talented in the country. Florida are an amazing rival to have, they're fun to hate and have good (though wardrobe-deficient) people. Shane Beamer's a good dude, so is Mark Stoops, and Sam Pittman, too. Lane Kiffin and the Pirate Leach are hilarious down in Mississippi. I adore the people of LSU.

It's good to be rising to the top of such a storied and rich community.

Go Vols!

 

[Jeff Clark]

There is an art to being at the top of the game (any game). The very best of the best do it in a way that not only deserves recognition for their excellence, but also appreciation for their humanity.

A big part of that for the Vols fan base is going to be recognizing talent in our opponents and rivals. Case in point:

Bama is a hell of a good team. Bryce Young is certainly one of the best three quarterbacks in the college game. He impressed me hugely yesterday. Hendon's better, but there's not a wide gulf between those two talented lads.

And Gibbs is an amazingly talented back.

Henry To'o To'o is a very good linebacker, and "QB of the defense." He's smart, quick, and capable. And don't impugn his values too badly; remember, we likely sent him away from Knoxville, he probably did not leave willingly. "Traitor" is too easy a word to use, and very likely does not fit him. Yes, yes, he could definitely have picked a better destination when he was shown the door. But being offered a spot on the (then) best team in the nation is hard for a young man to pass up, esp. when he's suddenly homeless.

Nick Saban is the greatest college coach in history. I say that objectively, looking at the cold, hard facts. We may not like him, he may not be the most charming man or the warmest personality, but he is without a doubt a living, walking legend of the sport.

And the Bama fan base may not be very sophisticated, but they are loud and loyal (you know, minus the bandwagon fans, we're going to have our share of those too, so best not to throw stones at other people's glass houses). And they're actually more football-savvy than most other fan bases.

I have a lot of respect for the Alabama program. Hate them, want to stomp them into the mud every single time we meet, but respect the hell out of them, too.

And I really appreciate being in the SEC, best league in college sports. I love our traditions. I love our rivalries, and our competitiveness. I'm proud of little brother Kentucky for rising so high (we're going to crush them, but still proud of them). I appreciate UGa for the business-like nature of their rise in the East; Smart is a very good coach, and their roster is maybe the most talented in the country. Florida are an amazing rival to have, they're fun to hate and have good (though wardrobe-deficient) people. Shane Beamer's a good dude, so is Mark Stoops, and Sam Pittman, too. Lane Kiffin and the Pirate Leach are hilarious down in Mississippi. I adore the people of LSU.

It's good to be rising to the top of such a storied and rich community.

Go Vols!

No more preaching and telling people how to act! Behave how YOU want to behave and leave Everyone to do what they want to do.

 

[apevol]

Gibbs looked like a punk ducking out of bounds on his long run. I didnt even hear Henry's name til he started cramping up and Saban visibly aged during the game last night. I aint gotta give them props for nothin.

Young did however play a great game and is tough as nails.

 

[MAD]

 

[utvolpj]

Put this in another thread and feel it still fits. Sorry, we've got 15yrs of receipts for those who kicked us, Made fun of, laughed at, etc. I won't bemoan any vol fan for taking a couple of swings as we bust back into the conversation

 

[ProudVOLfan]

Young has my respect! The rest of them?! NOPE
F Bama

 

[Woodlawn VOL]

There is an art to being at the top of the game (any game). The very best of the best do it in a way that not only deserves recognition for their excellence, but also appreciation for their humanity.

A big part of that for the Vols fan base is going to be recognizing talent in our opponents and rivals. Case in point:

Bama is a hell of a good team. Bryce Young is certainly one of the best three quarterbacks in the college game. He impressed me hugely yesterday. Hendon's better, but there's not a wide gulf between those two talented lads.

And Gibbs is an amazingly talented back.

Henry To'o To'o is a very good linebacker, and "QB of the defense." He's smart, quick, and capable. And don't impugn his values too badly; remember, we likely sent him away from Knoxville, he probably did not leave willingly. "Traitor" is too easy a word to use, and very likely does not fit him. Yes, yes, he could definitely have picked a better destination when he was shown the door. But being offered a spot on the (then) best team in the nation is hard for a young man to pass up, esp. when he's suddenly homeless.

Nick Saban is the greatest college coach in history. I say that objectively, looking at the cold, hard facts. We may not like him, he may not be the most charming man or the warmest personality, but he is without a doubt a living, walking legend of the sport.

And the Bama fan base may not be very sophisticated, but they are loud and loyal (you know, minus the bandwagon fans, we're going to have our share of those too, so best not to throw stones at other people's glass houses). And they're actually more football-savvy than most other fan bases.

I have a lot of respect for the Alabama program. Hate them, want to stomp them into the mud every single time we meet, but respect the hell out of them, too.

And I really appreciate being in the SEC, best league in college sports. I love our traditions. I love our rivalries, and our competitiveness. I'm proud of little brother Kentucky for rising so high (we're going to crush them, but still proud of them). I appreciate UGa for the business-like nature of their rise in the East; Smart is a very good coach, and their roster is maybe the most talented in the country. Florida are an amazing rival to have, they're fun to hate and have good (though wardrobe-deficient) people. Shane Beamer's a good dude, so is Mark Stoops, and Sam Pittman, too. Lane Kiffin and the Pirate Leach are hilarious down in Mississippi. I adore the people of LSU.

It's good to be rising to the top of such a storied and rich community.

Go Vols!

We are a great fan base, everybody has a few bad apples. Lay off the sermon this morning on how fans to act! GBO!

 

[DooleyOrangePants]

There is an art to being at the top of the game (any game). The very best of the best do it in a way that not only deserves recognition for their excellence, but also appreciation for their humanity.

A big part of that for the Vols fan base is going to be recognizing talent in our opponents and rivals. Case in point:

Bama is a hell of a good team. Bryce Young is certainly one of the best three quarterbacks in the college game. He impressed me hugely yesterday. Hendon's better, but there's not a wide gulf between those two talented lads.

And Gibbs is an amazingly talented back.

Henry To'o To'o is a very good linebacker, and "QB of the defense." He's smart, quick, and capable. And don't impugn his values too badly; remember, we likely sent him away from Knoxville, he probably did not leave willingly. "Traitor" is too easy a word to use, and very likely does not fit him. Yes, yes, he could definitely have picked a better destination when he was shown the door. But being offered a spot on the (then) best team in the nation is hard for a young man to pass up, esp. when he's suddenly homeless.

Nick Saban is the greatest college coach in history. I say that objectively, looking at the cold, hard facts. We may not like him, he may not be the most charming man or the warmest personality, but he is without a doubt a living, walking legend of the sport.

And the Bama fan base may not be very sophisticated, but they are loud and loyal (you know, minus the bandwagon fans, we're going to have our share of those too, so best not to throw stones at other people's glass houses). And they're actually more football-savvy than most other fan bases.

I have a lot of respect for the Alabama program. Hate them, want to stomp them into the mud every single time we meet, but respect the hell out of them, too.

And I really appreciate being in the SEC, best league in college sports. I love our traditions. I love our rivalries, and our competitiveness. I'm proud of little brother Kentucky for rising so high (we're going to crush them, but still proud of them). I appreciate UGa for the business-like nature of their rise in the East; Smart is a very good coach, and their roster is maybe the most talented in the country. Florida are an amazing rival to have, they're fun to hate and have good (though wardrobe-deficient) people. Shane Beamer's a good dude, so is Mark Stoops, and Sam Pittman, too. Lane Kiffin and the Pirate Leach are hilarious down in Mississippi. I adore the people of LSU.

It's good to be rising to the top of such a storied and rich community.

Go Vols!

Ah yes, the pearl clutching and virtue signaling begins. Lots of assumptions in your post that you should also admit you don’t have a clue are true or not.

Be responsible for yourself and stop presuming you know the best way to act and how all of these people mentioned truly are. This is just as bad as the people you are trying to rail against in this post.

 

[IluvdoubleD's]

Come back at me another game man, this one was different, and after all these kids have been through lately. let them have their time. They get to celebrate, and work the demons out. Give it a week.

 

[GetEmVols]

There is an art to being at the top of the game (any game). The very best of the best do it in a way that not only deserves recognition for their excellence, but also appreciation for their humanity.

A big part of that for the Vols fan base is going to be recognizing talent in our opponents and rivals. Case in point:

Bama is a hell of a good team. Bryce Young is certainly one of the best three quarterbacks in the college game. He impressed me hugely yesterday. Hendon's better, but there's not a wide gulf between those two talented lads.

And Gibbs is an amazingly talented back.

Henry To'o To'o is a very good linebacker, and "QB of the defense." He's smart, quick, and capable. And don't impugn his values too badly; remember, we likely sent him away from Knoxville, he probably did not leave willingly. "Traitor" is too easy a word to use, and very likely does not fit him. Yes, yes, he could definitely have picked a better destination when he was shown the door. But being offered a spot on the (then) best team in the nation is hard for a young man to pass up, esp. when he's suddenly homeless.

Nick Saban is the greatest college coach in history. I say that objectively, looking at the cold, hard facts. We may not like him, he may not be the most charming man or the warmest personality, but he is without a doubt a living, walking legend of the sport.

And the Bama fan base may not be very sophisticated, but they are loud and loyal (you know, minus the bandwagon fans, we're going to have our share of those too, so best not to throw stones at other people's glass houses). And they're actually more football-savvy than most other fan bases.

I have a lot of respect for the Alabama program. Hate them, want to stomp them into the mud every single time we meet, but respect the hell out of them, too.

And I really appreciate being in the SEC, best league in college sports. I love our traditions. I love our rivalries, and our competitiveness. I'm proud of little brother Kentucky for rising so high (we're going to crush them, but still proud of them). I appreciate UGa for the business-like nature of their rise in the East; Smart is a very good coach, and their roster is maybe the most talented in the country. Florida are an amazing rival to have, they're fun to hate and have good (though wardrobe-deficient) people. Shane Beamer's a good dude, so is Mark Stoops, and Sam Pittman, too. Lane Kiffin and the Pirate Leach are hilarious down in Mississippi. I adore the people of LSU.

It's good to be rising to the top of such a storied and rich community.

Go Vols!

let’s win more games so we can practice

 

[Ratvol]

Party hearty and boogie till you puke.

Go VOLS

 

[GetEmVols]

There is an art to being at the top of the game (any game). The very best of the best do it in a way that not only deserves recognition for their excellence, but also appreciation for their humanity.

A big part of that for the Vols fan base is going to be recognizing talent in our opponents and rivals. Case in point:

Bama is a hell of a good team. Bryce Young is certainly one of the best three quarterbacks in the college game. He impressed me hugely yesterday. Hendon's better, but there's not a wide gulf between those two talented lads.

And Gibbs is an amazingly talented back.

Henry To'o To'o is a very good linebacker, and "QB of the defense." He's smart, quick, and capable. And don't impugn his values too badly; remember, we likely sent him away from Knoxville, he probably did not leave willingly. "Traitor" is too easy a word to use, and very likely does not fit him. Yes, yes, he could definitely have picked a better destination when he was shown the door. But being offered a spot on the (then) best team in the nation is hard for a young man to pass up, esp. when he's suddenly homeless.

Nick Saban is the greatest college coach in history. I say that objectively, looking at the cold, hard facts. We may not like him, he may not be the most charming man or the warmest personality, but he is without a doubt a living, walking legend of the sport.

And the Bama fan base may not be very sophisticated, but they are loud and loyal (you know, minus the bandwagon fans, we're going to have our share of those too, so best not to throw stones at other people's glass houses). And they're actually more football-savvy than most other fan bases.

I have a lot of respect for the Alabama program. Hate them, want to stomp them into the mud every single time we meet, but respect the hell out of them, too.

And I really appreciate being in the SEC, best league in college sports. I love our traditions. I love our rivalries, and our competitiveness. I'm proud of little brother Kentucky for rising so high (we're going to crush them, but still proud of them). I appreciate UGa for the business-like nature of their rise in the East; Smart is a very good coach, and their roster is maybe the most talented in the country. Florida are an amazing rival to have, they're fun to hate and have good (though wardrobe-deficient) people. Shane Beamer's a good dude, so is Mark Stoops, and Sam Pittman, too. Lane Kiffin and the Pirate Leach are hilarious down in Mississippi. I adore the people of LSU.

It's good to be rising to the top of such a storied and rich community.

Go Vols!

OP thinks Georgia and alabama are models of humility. . Go watch some uncle Lou

 

[Russdaddy2027]

Vols are on top in almost every sport! The motivation of being mocked and ridiculed for 20 years has created the swagger the men and woman in orange play with as well as the emotions of our rabid fan base. I apologize for nothing.

 

[zydane47]

There is an art to being at the top of the game (any game). The very best of the best do it in a way that not only deserves recognition for their excellence, but also appreciation for their humanity.

A big part of that for the Vols fan base is going to be recognizing talent in our opponents and rivals. Case in point:

Bama is a hell of a good team. Bryce Young is certainly one of the best three quarterbacks in the college game. He impressed me hugely yesterday. Hendon's better, but there's not a wide gulf between those two talented lads.

And Gibbs is an amazingly talented back.

Henry To'o To'o is a very good linebacker, and "QB of the defense." He's smart, quick, and capable. And don't impugn his values too badly; remember, we likely sent him away from Knoxville, he probably did not leave willingly. "Traitor" is too easy a word to use, and very likely does not fit him. Yes, yes, he could definitely have picked a better destination when he was shown the door. But being offered a spot on the (then) best team in the nation is hard for a young man to pass up, esp. when he's suddenly homeless.

Nick Saban is the greatest college coach in history. I say that objectively, looking at the cold, hard facts. We may not like him, he may not be the most charming man or the warmest personality, but he is without a doubt a living, walking legend of the sport.

And the Bama fan base may not be very sophisticated, but they are loud and loyal (you know, minus the bandwagon fans, we're going to have our share of those too, so best not to throw stones at other people's glass houses). And they're actually more football-savvy than most other fan bases.

I have a lot of respect for the Alabama program. Hate them, want to stomp them into the mud every single time we meet, but respect the hell out of them, too.

And I really appreciate being in the SEC, best league in college sports. I love our traditions. I love our rivalries, and our competitiveness. I'm proud of little brother Kentucky for rising so high (we're going to crush them, but still proud of them). I appreciate UGa for the business-like nature of their rise in the East; Smart is a very good coach, and their roster is maybe the most talented in the country. Florida are an amazing rival to have, they're fun to hate and have good (though wardrobe-deficient) people. Shane Beamer's a good dude, so is Mark Stoops, and Sam Pittman, too. Lane Kiffin and the Pirate Leach are hilarious down in Mississippi. I adore the people of LSU.

It's good to be rising to the top of such a storied and rich community.

Go Vols!

How about nah? For 15 years or more all we’ve heard as a fanbase is how much our teams suck, how no other teams, fans, or media respects us.

Hell during the Schiano fiasco we were basically told to shut up and be happy we’re getting a “good” coach.

Every one of those fans/media have this coming to them, they don’t need to get all pissy now that we have a chance to point to our team and say without question our team is better than yours.

If you don’t like it that sounds like a you problem.

 

[2EastTnVols]

Lost me when you complimented Henry Traitor

 

[Doyle Hargraves]

There is an art to being at the top of the game (any game). The very best of the best do it in a way that not only deserves recognition for their excellence, but also appreciation for their humanity.

A big part of that for the Vols fan base is going to be recognizing talent in our opponents and rivals. Case in point:

Bama is a hell of a good team. Bryce Young is certainly one of the best three quarterbacks in the college game. He impressed me hugely yesterday. Hendon's better, but there's not a wide gulf between those two talented lads.

And Gibbs is an amazingly talented back.

Henry To'o To'o is a very good linebacker, and "QB of the defense." He's smart, quick, and capable. And don't impugn his values too badly; remember, we likely sent him away from Knoxville, he probably did not leave willingly. "Traitor" is too easy a word to use, and very likely does not fit him. Yes, yes, he could definitely have picked a better destination when he was shown the door. But being offered a spot on the (then) best team in the nation is hard for a young man to pass up, esp. when he's suddenly homeless.

Nick Saban is the greatest college coach in history. I say that objectively, looking at the cold, hard facts. We may not like him, he may not be the most charming man or the warmest personality, but he is without a doubt a living, walking legend of the sport.

And the Bama fan base may not be very sophisticated, but they are loud and loyal (you know, minus the bandwagon fans, we're going to have our share of those too, so best not to throw stones at other people's glass houses). And they're actually more football-savvy than most other fan bases.

I have a lot of respect for the Alabama program. Hate them, want to stomp them into the mud every single time we meet, but respect the hell out of them, too.

And I really appreciate being in the SEC, best league in college sports. I love our traditions. I love our rivalries, and our competitiveness. I'm proud of little brother Kentucky for rising so high (we're going to crush them, but still proud of them). I appreciate UGa for the business-like nature of their rise in the East; Smart is a very good coach, and their roster is maybe the most talented in the country. Florida are an amazing rival to have, they're fun to hate and have good (though wardrobe-deficient) people. Shane Beamer's a good dude, so is Mark Stoops, and Sam Pittman, too. Lane Kiffin and the Pirate Leach are hilarious down in Mississippi. I adore the people of LSU.

It's good to be rising to the top of such a storied and rich community.

Go Vols!

Yeah, you are absolutely right. We are going to have to learn how to be graceful and classy, but not just yet.
Decades of despair have earned us the right to be obnoxious and loud for a little while. jmo

 

[WilliamDuVOL]

The amount of excuse making and trash talking I have seen on Facebook from Bama fans is enough to make me want to be as non graceful of a winner as I can be. Nothing but disrespect for us. Tennessee is lucky, the refs won that game, this isn't a good Bama team, beat Georgia then we get respect... blah blah blah. I get your message but Bama fans are making it hard. Opposing fan bases have been INSUFFERABLE to us for DECADES. I am glad they are unhappy with our success.

 

[SAPPER 5]

let’s win more games so we can practice

Exactly. Gonna take several more wins to get this 'humility and respect for your opponent' thing down. Who's ever really shown it to us lately? I prefer being gracious in both victory AND defeat (we've had plenty of practice in the latter), but it is most definitely a two-way street.

 

[Hacksaw]

TLDR

F-Bama!!!

 

[VFL-82-JP]

Yeah, you are absolutely right. We are going to have to learn how to be graceful and classy, but not just yet.
Decades of despair have earned us the right to be obnoxious and loud for a little while. jmo

Doyle, you live!

I haven't seen you in forever, friend. I'm glad you're still with us.

And yeah, I get what you say. Some of the responses don't surprise me at all. We're not going to become classy all at once. It will have to come with time. But needed to get the chip on the table early, so the discussion can begin.

Go Vols!

 

[Manchester Vol]

I am sending you a teabag.

 

[friVOLity]

If we didn't respect their program (with the exception of the traitor), we wouldn't be so over-the-moon overjoyed about beating them. I, for one, hope we NEVER get so "classy" that we don't stay up half the night screaming about beating Alabama. I sure won't.

 

[508mikey]

Lost all respect when Butch Jones was arrogantly smoking that cigar

 

[Im_a_Vol_Nurse]

Other SEC fan bases in previous years: “Tennessee fans are the most obnoxious thing I’ve ever seen.”
Tennessee fans 2022: “Hold my beer!! Let’s take ‘er up a notch or two!” you ain’t seen nothing yet

 

[sami]

There is an art to being at the top of the game (any game). The very best of the best do it in a way that not only deserves recognition for their excellence, but also appreciation for their humanity.

A big part of that for the Vols fan base is going to be recognizing talent in our opponents and rivals. Case in point:

Bama is a hell of a good team. Bryce Young is certainly one of the best three quarterbacks in the college game. He impressed me hugely yesterday. Hendon's better, but there's not a wide gulf between those two talented lads.

And Gibbs is an amazingly talented back.

Henry To'o To'o is a very good linebacker, and "QB of the defense." He's smart, quick, and capable. And don't impugn his values too badly; remember, we likely sent him away from Knoxville, he probably did not leave willingly. "Traitor" is too easy a word to use, and very likely does not fit him. Yes, yes, he could definitely have picked a better destination when he was shown the door. But being offered a spot on the (then) best team in the nation is hard for a young man to pass up, esp. when he's suddenly homeless.

Nick Saban is the greatest college coach in history. I say that objectively, looking at the cold, hard facts. We may not like him, he may not be the most charming man or the warmest personality, but he is without a doubt a living, walking legend of the sport.

And the Bama fan base may not be very sophisticated, but they are loud and loyal (you know, minus the bandwagon fans, we're going to have our share of those too, so best not to throw stones at other people's glass houses). And they're actually more football-savvy than most other fan bases.

I have a lot of respect for the Alabama program. Hate them, want to stomp them into the mud every single time we meet, but respect the hell out of them, too.

And I really appreciate being in the SEC, best league in college sports. I love our traditions. I love our rivalries, and our competitiveness. I'm proud of little brother Kentucky for rising so high (we're going to crush them, but still proud of them). I appreciate UGa for the business-like nature of their rise in the East; Smart is a very good coach, and their roster is maybe the most talented in the country. Florida are an amazing rival to have, they're fun to hate and have good (though wardrobe-deficient) people. Shane Beamer's a good dude, so is Mark Stoops, and Sam Pittman, too. Lane Kiffin and the Pirate Leach are hilarious down in Mississippi. I adore the people of LSU.

It's good to be rising to the top of such a storied and rich community.

Go Vols!

Never a fan of, or one who engaged in trash talk, but I'm also not a believer in telling people how to behave, and especially after a game with the emotional ramifications and historical impact that this one has.

I don't disagree with most of what you say here with the notable exception of respecting some of the fan bases, at least those that I've seen in various forums. The whining and bitching of Alabama fans last night was pretty incredible given the success and good fortune they've had over the last decade and a half. You'd think that of all fan bases that's the one who would recognize a great game, especially given that it doesn't eliminate them from national championship possibilities.

We have put up with a ton of abuse for the last 15 years, being the butt of jokes and a lot of ridicule, and while I've never been inclined to trash talk, I think this fan base has earned a chance to blow off some steam after all this time. Let people just enjoy and revel in this moment.