Win or lose where do you stand?

#126
#126
VFL-82-JP said:
This, see here, this is how our expectations change over the course of a season.

Up front I need to say: not picking on Zues. He reflects most of us. We're all doing this. He simply provided an opportunity to discuss it.

Here was Zues (and many of us) Just four games ago, right before we played Pitt:



And this was his summary after the game:



Totally fair comments, all of them. But very different from saying "meh, 10-2 sounds great, but IMO we need to beat Bama or UGa."

Here was Zues just two weeks later, leading into the Florida game:



And here was him two weeks after that, going into LSU:



These are not the pronouncements of a fella who thinks 10-2 is just okay, but we really need to beat Bama or UGa.

...

Again, I have to emphasize--NOT picking on Zues. This is all of us (well, many of us). We're moving the goalposts of our expectations.

And that's okay. It's perfectly fine. Folks reassess and refocus their goals all the time, in all walks of life. Football fandom is no different.

But it is also useful to remain grounded, to remember what came before, to not ENTIRELY lose sight of the pre-season expectations and what success would look like.

Because we're already there. We're smack dab in the middle of success. We are striding forward at a heady pace toward championship football.

It may not come this year. That's okay, because we can all tell it is coming.

Thanks, Zues, for representing the rest of us here. No negativity intended, at all.

Go Vols!
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Are you a published author? That was darn near was a short story. And a good one.
 
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#127
#127
17Vols said:
The hard truth is this, we don’t have the roster, yet, to beat bama or uga. but I think we can give them a run for their money, and if we do that the recruits will come. We’re already seeing better talent in this 23 class, and that’s what we need to close the gap. it will be an upset if we beat bama or uga right now, but hopefully soon we’ll have a team that’s expected to win these games. I would only be disappointed if we beat ourselves this weekend, bad penalties, costly mistakes, dropped balls, things like that. having said all that, I know we’re an underdog here, but I really think we have a strong chance of winning straight up.
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Your 1st sentence said "We don't have the roster to win"....then you say "we win straight up"....make up your mind already. Geezle.
 
#128
#128
Would I be upset if we lost to a team that in year 16 under the same coach who happens to be one of the best to ever coach in the sport… yes, yes I will!!Tennessee by 50!!
 
#129
#129
GetEmVols said:
No matter what happens at this point Heupel has us going in the right direction. He could lose to Alabama, Georgia, and Kentucky and I’d still be happy with the 9 win season. I’d be disappointed if we dropped one to South Carolina or Missouri and finished 8-4 at this point though.
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Before the season I would have completely agreed, but right now a loss to Kentucky at home would sting because we are just flat out better.
 
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#131
#131
utfantilidie said:
Since I posted from the beginning I felt similarities between this season and the 98 season which I had season tickets (only time ever) I was wondering will you be okay if we lose close or are you tired of excuses as I am? I mean nearly fifteen years out of the last twenty years we been a laugher up on the hill. Just wondering.
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It's Y2 ffs lol. No one expected this. We are playing with house money.

Everyone will live if we lose. We're not even the favorites, at all.

This just means we'll get better and better and have more shots in the next couple years as our talent improves.
 
#132
#132
sami said:
Before the season I would have completely agreed, but right now a loss to Kentucky at home would sting because we are just flat out better.
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Are we? Maybe so. But with Levis they are pretty solid. Beat UF by more than we did. Would be a good game if they have him.
 
#133
#133
Devo182 said:
Are we? Maybe so. But with Levis they are pretty solid. Beat UF by more than we did. Would be a good game if they have him.
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Don't disagree it will be a good game, and I'm not knocking them but this team is rolling right now while they look lost, and not just because Levis is out. If the game wasn't at Neyland, I might be more inclined to agree with you.
 
#134
#134
GordonC said:
if someone is not satisfied thus far, that person is not doing it right
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If anything, did any of us expect do be here, 5-0, going into the Bama game with the media all up on our jock, before the season started? Win or lose, Go VOLS! That being said, with a belly full of Big Orange Kool-ade, Vawls by Fiddy! Nevertheless, Vegas has the line to favor the gumps, and that worries me a bit. Win or lose, I'm all Vol.
 
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#135
#135
I didn't think UT had a shot at 10-2 this season and they still may not. I was thinking 7-5 maybe 8-4, but still headed in the right direction. 'Lo and behold look where this team is at. Anything less than 10-2 now is going to be a disappointment to lot of us and it shouldn't be. Remember where this program was at 2 seasons ago. Being in this position now is kind of dangerous, as a fan, we love it and cherish it, but let's not forget where CJH had to pull this team up from to get here.
 
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#136
#136
It would depend on how we lost for me. If it were a competitive loss, I’d be ok. A 10-2 season is most likely at this point and that’s damn impressive from where the program was when Heupel started. Getting blown out on the other hand would sting. I don’t think that’s going to happen though. I’m expecting another nail-biter that causes me to have a stroke at the end.
 
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#137
#137
Jeff Clark said:
Right now i would say 10-2 in 2023 is a very good possibility also
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I’d like to see Milton play more and for Jackson to get some more snaps. Milton will likely start next season with Jackson as backup, Nico redshirts. Unless Nico just lights up fall camp or they take another QB from the portal.
 
#139
#139
utfantilidie said:
Since I posted from the beginning I felt similarities between this season and the 98 season which I had season tickets (only time ever) I was wondering will you be okay if we lose close or are you tired of excuses as I am? I mean nearly fifteen years out of the last twenty years we been a laugher up on the hill. Just wondering.
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I don't see Heupel offering excuses should they lose.

We're an entire defensive backfield away - and more depth across the board - from competing with GA/AL. That's simply the facts regardless of who's "tired of excuses". It's silly to set yourself up for a disappointment and get angry for expecting something this team, at this point, may not be capable of delivering.

Again, we're literally not even 1.5 seasons removed from 3 wins and a host of talent hitting the portal. You should happily shite yourself if UT wins, but expecting it is not realistic.
 
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#141
#141
sami said:
Before the season I would have completely agreed, but right now a loss to Kentucky at home would sting because we are just flat out better.
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Yeah but 9-3 or 10-3 is a success. We are moving the goal post on our coach again as usual.
 
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#142
#142
If we win this weekend and Hendon plays well the rest of the season. We may have the first Heisman winner at Tennessee. Not that most people care but if any school deserves it Tennessee does.
 
#143
#143
I haven't watched much of Ohio State so I don't reall know how goo they are

But this Tennessee team is playing better than UGA or Bama team
 
#144
#144
You guys seemed to have turned every game into an automatic win except Georgia and Alabama. Those that say they wouldn't be satisfied with that need to ask themselves if they would have been happy with 9 wins before the season started. The coaches and players have done an excellent job this season and I don't think if they lose games it will be a preparation issue. It will be mistakes that happen by players or coaches or talent will beat us. I like this team as much as the 85 team. That was my most enjoyable season.
 
#147
#147
From down & out in the 1H at Pittsburgh to solid gold diapers on the G4 in six weeks.

We’re on LONG house money. Enjoy the rest of the season. Get what you can get and don’t pitch no fit.

GO VOLS BEAT BAMA
 
#149
#149
GetEmVols said:
Yeah but 9-3 or 10-3 is a success. We are moving the goal post on our coach again as usual.
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I don't disagree and I'm not moving the goalposts. But I'd also be lying to say it wouldn't sting to lose to UK at Neyland given the way this team is playing and improving week by week. Bama and UGa are a different matter, as both are on an entirely different level as programs at this point - a level that we can be on with 2-3 more successful recruiting cycles.
 
#150
#150
VolJarhead said:
You guys seemed to have turned every game into an automatic win except Georgia and Alabama. Those that say they wouldn't be satisfied with that need to ask themselves if they would have been happy with 9 wins before the season started. The coaches and players have done an excellent job this season and I don't think if they lose games it will be a preparation issue. It will be mistakes that happen by players or coaches or talent will beat us. I like this team as much as the 85 team. That was my most enjoyable season.
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I expected 8-4 before the season, but would have been happy with 7-5 if it showed forward progress. It is perfectly natural for expectations to have risen given the performance thus far. I would still be very happy with 9-3, but to say it wouldn't be a disappointment to lose at Neyland to a Kentucky team we have dominated even when we were down is not being honest.
 
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