Why do we care so much?

#1
Insunseri

Insunseri

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#1
Why do we care so much about watching kids who are sometimes decades younger than us playing football? my girlfriend once asked me this, and I told her if you don't get it, you don't get it. but now I am starting to wonder. Tradition, pulling for alma mater, the spirit of competition are plausible answers, but why do we put our hearts and souls on the line for this? Im not changing my stance by any means... just thinking existentially
 
#4
#4
Insunseri said:
Why do we care so much about watching kids who are sometimes decades younger than us playing football? my girlfriend once asked me this, and I told her if you don't get it, you don't get it. but now I am starting to wonder. Tradition, pulling for alma mater, the spirit of competition are plausible answers, but why do we put our hearts and souls on the line for this? Im not changing my stance by any means... just thinking existentially
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Most of us grow up into this culture. Nothing wrong with being passionate about something as long as you don't put it before your family, kids, etc. I mean I look at the University as family to me, but you know what I mean. It's just passion.
 
#5
#5
Definitely because its my alma mater and love the University. Was the best time of my life and want to see the Orange represented the way it should be. School pride runs deep, real deep.
 
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#6
#6
Insunseri said:
Why do we care so much about watching kids who are sometimes decades younger than us playing football? my girlfriend once asked me this, and I told her if you don't get it, you don't get it. but now I am starting to wonder. Tradition, pulling for alma mater, the spirit of competition are plausible answers, but why do we put our hearts and souls on the line for this? Im not changing my stance by any means... just thinking existentially
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It's a hobby. A sense of pride passed down from generation to generation. It's one thing that remains consistent in our lives: every fall, there will be football in Tennessee. It's a nice thing to experience. What else could cause us to high five random strangers?

That's why I care. But the losses stopped hurting me if that's what you're getting after.
 
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#8
#8
I care about it because I grew up with it. I went to every home game for years as a kid and it got ingrained in me. Beyond the Vols, I don't really care that much about sports teams. I don't know about others' experiences. But obviously, anyone who spends the kind of money required for season tickets/donations/parking to watch the Vols regularly, probably cares an awful lot and should get a much better product than what we've seen here in the last several years.
 
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#9
#9
Insunseri said:
Why do we care so much about watching kids who are sometimes decades younger than us playing football? my girlfriend once asked me this, and I told her if you don't get it, you don't get it. but now I am starting to wonder. Tradition, pulling for alma mater, the spirit of competition are plausible answers, but why do we put our hearts and souls on the line for this? Im not changing my stance by any means... just thinking existentially
Click to expand...

It becomes a thing between people. My wife's family are ardent, die-hard, crazy, nut case, insane, rabid, alumni of Alabama. That alone is enough for me to pull for the Vols. But I was born and raised in this state and I enjoy seeing my state teams prosper. So for me it's all about roots. Home. Geography. My people. But I keep it in perspective. I don't compromise my beliefs 'cause of some silly football or because of 18 year old kids and overpaid coaches. It's just something fun to do to forget about life's reality once in a while. It pains me to see people get so crazy about all of this stuff. Kinda scary.

Nice post by you to remind us to keep it in perspective.
 
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#10
#10
Love the game of football. Its the one thing i can pretend that its important but i know that if it fails me i don't actually lose anything, except maybe time. If you fail at life, family, job, debt, school...you can totally screw up your life. Football will never do that, but I like to pretend its important because I love the game of football. Football is my sport of choice. And UT is the only college team I've ever known and love.
 
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#11
#11
Aday25 said:
Love the game of football. Its the one thing i can pretend that its important but i know that if it fails me i don't actually lose anything, except maybe time. If you fail at life, family, job, debt, school...you can totally screw up your life. Football will never do that, but I like to pretend its important because I love the game of football. Football is my sport of choice. And UT is the only college team I've ever known and love.
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Yeah, I used to play at Bearden, and our coach Bill Young used to be a star in every sport. he was giving a speech and simply said "I've played a lot of sports and football is the best... it's the best". that matter-of-fact commemt really fired us up. there's something really special about the game of football... there's life lessons and whatnot, but it's really hard to define exactly what it is that can bring a man to tears over a simple game
 
#12
#12
its not just a bunch of kids playing football... its about the university as a whole. if you support the university, you support the kids.
 
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#13
#13
Passionate vol fans you won't find anywhere else....tn football I will always love. I am from fl and grew up watching fsu which took me awhile to like ut from the 98 game but I am all orange. You can't find better fans.....VFL
 
#14
#14
I went to my first game in 1987. Their record the 4 years I was in school there was 45-5. They represent my state, my school, and to some extent, me. The past month and a half, during the week I say "I'm done, I'm not watching the game". But there I am on Saturday, watching the Troy (Troy? Really?), game, watching the Mizzou game in a hospital room as my 1 week-old is in NICU, going to the Vanderbilt game tonight. It's part of who I am.
 
#16
#16
VolnTEARS? said:
It becomes a thing between people. My wife's family are ardent, die-hard, crazy, nut case, insane, rabid, alumni of Alabama. That alone is enough for me to pull for the Vols. But I was born and raised in this state and I enjoy seeing my state teams prosper. So for me it's all about roots. Home. Geography. My people. But I keep it in perspective. I don't compromise my beliefs 'cause of some silly football or because of 18 year old kids and overpaid coaches. It's just something fun to do to forget about life's reality once in a while. It pains me to see people get so crazy about all of this stuff. Kinda scary.

Nice post by you to remind us to keep it in perspective.
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def good to see why we still believe. thanks
 
#17
#17
Insunseri said:
Yeah, I used to play at Bearden, and our coach Bill Young used to be a star in every sport. he was giving a speech and simply said "I've played a lot of sports and football is the best... it's the best". that matter-of-fact commemt really fired us up. there's something really special about the game of football... there's life lessons and whatnot, but it's really hard to define exactly what it is that can bring a man to tears over a simple game
Click to expand...

I played in Highschool too and there is something about football, perhaps its the intensity, you only get a few games to play your heart out. And when its over you'll never play the sport again. The finality and shortness of it makes it special.
 
#18
#18
JoeltonVol said:
I went to my first game in 1987. Their record the 4 years I was in school there was 45-5. They represent my state, my school, and to some extent, me. The past month and a half, during the week I say "I'm done, I'm not watching the game". But there I am on Saturday, watching the Troy (Troy? Really?), game, watching the Mizzou game in a hospital room as my 1 week-old is in NICU, going to the Vanderbilt game tonight. It's part of who I am.
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You are awesome. I hope all is well with you and your family
 
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#19
#19
Wardie said:
Passionate vol fans you won't find anywhere else....tn football I will always love. I am from fl and grew up watching fsu which took me awhile to like ut from the 98 game but I am all orange. You can't find better fans.....VFL
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...so you're saying you're a bandwagon fan? the bandwagon was shot down by nuclear missile a while back... sucks, right?
 
#20
#20
It's my alma mater, and I love college football. I honestly feel an allegiance to the Big Orange, and I cannot feel this way about another team.
 
#22
#22
Why does the age matter? Is watching a bunch of 18-24 year old amateur kids play football any worse than watching a bunch of guys making more money than I'll likely ever make play football?
 
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#23
#23
Insunseri said:
...so you're saying you're a bandwagon fan? the bandwagon was shot down by nuclear missile a while back... sucks, right?
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Me bandwagon.....heck no bud. I loved and grew up watching fsu and it took me awhile to love UT. I could care less about free shoe u now. It took me so long since they beat them in 98. I was 13 years old then and turned into a tenn fan a few years after that.

I am not a bandwagon fan. If I was I would not own UT stuff or go to the games or care about next year. I said it took me awhile to get on board with them since ALL my family is in love with FSU or UF!
 
#24
#24
Wardie said:
Me bandwagon.....heck no bud. I loved and grew up watching fsu and it took me awhile to love UT. I could care less about free shoe u now. It took me so long since they beat them in 98. I was 13 years old then and turned into a tenn fan a few years after that.

I am not a bandwagon fan. If I was I would not own UT stuff or go to the games or care about next year. I said it took me awhile to get on board with them since ALL my family is in love with FSU or UF!
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lol, I was just messing with you
 
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