Call me a sentimental goofball, but I love Christmas and all the things associated with it. What can I say, I had a good childhood. Nothing pleases me more when I turn on the radio and the local stations start Christmas music twenty four hours a day before Thanksgiving and play it through Christmas day. You see as I have gotten older, adult responsibilities have allowed Christmas to sneak up on me. Surely most of you know what I am talking about. As the wrinkles appear, time begins to move very quickly, and you begin to value the enjoyable times in your life more. That is why I welcome Christmas early with open arms. Maybe I simply want to soak in the good times, relish their arrival, and milk them for all they are worth.
In the spirit of relishing the times, I want to address a pressing subject for the Volnation. Like most of you, I continue to relish 1998 as the year that everything came together for the Vols. Much like the Christmas season, it came and went with a twitch of Santa’s nose. Now quite a few of you act like it happened last year. Given that fact, I would like to take an old favorite Christmas tune, and lay some Guitar Shots on you.
Do you hear what I hear?
After the Outback bowl loss to Penn State, Mike Hamilton, the guy that brought us Bruce Pearl, stated very fair expectations for this Volunteer football team. After careful consideration (I can only assume he carefully considered it) Hamilton laid the gauntlet down for his head football coach. Hamilton stated that he expected the Vols to go to the SEC championship game 4 times every 10 years. In that same period of time, the football team should win 2 of those football games. Before some begin to complain about the realistic nature of such expectations, just a few days after those comments, Coach Phillip Fulmer agreed that those were realistic goals.
Do you see what I see?
Since 1998 the Vols have played in three SEC Championship games. In 2001 they had the horses to win, but you know how that turned out. In 2004 they were completely overmatched, and had a very young team. Last Saturday they were overmatched in the talent department, but were served an opportunity on a silver platter due to extenuating circumstances. Combined the Vols are 0-3 in championship games in the last nine years. Emotion aside, judging by previously set goals, it is impossible to reach.
Do you hear what I hear?
CPF is a masterful recruiter, and there is no one in the country that can recruit players to this football team.
Do you see what I see?
Since the 04 championship game with Auburn, UT fans are still waiting for that vaunted 2005 recruiting class to assert itself. Freak once asked me what drew me to the Volnation. My answer was simple. After that 2004 title run, I began to think things were turning for the Vols. One Saturday morning I came across one of UT’s new recruits on the Volnation, posting about the recruiting class. I have been hooked ever since. It turns out that the joke was on me. To clarify, the Vols were on the upswing, the recruiting class was top heavy with four and five star recruits, and the very next year the Vols give us 2005. The damage that did to our program is immeasurable, and I cannot discard it as easily as most people.
Couple that with the fact that CPF was talking Rose Bowl in June of 2005, and I can make several arguments about the delusions that are swirling around Knoxville when it comes to our talent. First, I have lost a great deal of confidence in our staff’s ability to evaluate talent. In case you haven’t noticed we are thin at two positions that have been stalwarts for our program: defensive line and receiver. Secondly, while my heart tells me that UT has plenty of talent to compete, since the 04 loss to Auburn, UT has looked outmatched and outclassed athletically when we play the elite teams of the conference. The 05 class was supposed to stop the bleeding in this area, and I haven’t even seen a band aid yet.
In reality, watching the speed of the game and special teams even this year, to the naked eye, our beloved Vols appear to be much more evenly matched with the Kentuckys and Carolinas of the world than they do the Floridas and LSUs. Yes, we can still compete, but the depth is not there like it used to be.
Do you hear what I hear?
Wait until next year. UT has a young defense with some unique talent, and some skilled players returning on offense.
Do you see what I see?
Georgia and Florida are younger, and neither one of those teams is replacing a quarterback. Sure, by next fall, I will be back on the attack when Lawgator comes calling. I just hope I am not shooting blanks.
Do you hear what I hear?
For the last 9 years, we have always been one play away from being a championship team. Luck just hasn’t been on our side.
Do you see what I see?
You can tell me how lucky Florida was to sneak into the national title game in last year, and I wouldn’t disagree. However, this UT team has been the luckiest bunch on the planet. When they lost to LSU on Saturday the Vols discarded a championship opportunity provided by three tightly contested ball games, all of which were decided by three of the screwiest field goal situations in recent memory. I cannot remember the last time that UT blocked a field goal. Yes they won, but man they were lucky.
Like many other great teams across the college football landscape, in the 90’s when UT was competing for championships, the Vols always had a few hiccup games. Now, every game is a hiccup game. Say what you will about how close the Vols have been to championship football. In reality, this team is continuously walking a tight rope between success and failure. As long as that is happening, second tier bowl games are as good as it will get.
Do you hear what I hear?
After losses to Cal, Florida and Bama, the CPF bandwagon was empty, and patience for the coaching staff was thin. That is when Mike Hamilton promised that he was a rational AD, and that he would not make emotional decisions during the season.
Do you see what I see?
Mike Hamilton’s integrity should be legitimately questioned. Not only was his “man love†for Phil captured on film after UT squeaked out a win against South Carolina, he has already begun to talk about raises and extensions. I have a different plan. I believe we should hold all public elections on April 16 (one day after we mail our taxes in). I say that our AD should wait until the Sunday after the Florida game before we decide on raises and extensions for this staff. I know that neither scenario is realistic, but it doesn’t hurt to dream.
Hopefully, I haven’t ruined a Christmas classic for my readers. In the end, when the dust settles on this 2007 football team, some will say that CPF has done a masterful job. Judging by wins and losses it is hard to disagree with that. Before we get too carried away, it is only appropriate to consider one more point of view. CPF is simply cleaning up a mess that he has created. When people say the Vols exceeded expectations and had a good year, I say why are our expectations so low? After taking a quick look at where Ainge was in 2004, and pondering the recruiting class that came in 2005, I will ask you again. Why did 2007 have to be a rebuilding year? Given the parody in the conference in 2007, UT should have been in position to dominate every week the same way they did in the Georgia game.
Regardless of the losses to Cal, Florida, Bama, and LSU, it is impossible to fire a coach that went 9-4 without hefty political implications. In all fairness there was some improvement in certain positions on this football team as the season passed. The offensive line was much improved this year. Special teams got a little better, as did the defensive line. That being the case, moving forward it is my hope that next year this team will have the defensive lineman and the offensive skill players to compete with anyone in the conference. The 2007 recruiting class is easily the best UT has had in 10 years.
No matter how quickly time flies, as long as we breathe, there will always be next year. Right now, as another SEC Championship has eluded us, I know that next year is all we have. Maybe there is hope on the horizon. It is entirely possible that the Vols will be ready to compete in 2008. Pardon me if I am not completely ready to buy into the hype. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice same on me. Go Vols!