Last year the Georgia game temporarily cured what was ailing this team. Despite double digit loses the Cal and Florida the Vols dispensed of the nationally ranked Bulldogs and brought home an SEC East title as a result. As most Vol fans will tell you it also happened to be the most entertaining, gratifying game of the season.
This year the Dawgs took a bite out of the Vols. In fact the final score doesn’t come close to revealing the domination that took place in Athens Saturday. In their 26-14 victory they managed to hold the ball for 25 minutes longer on their way to doubling the Vols’ offensive output. Combine that with the one….uno…..une…..1….total rushing yard squeaked out by the UT offense, and you have an embarrassing beat down of SEC proportions. Unlike the UCLA, Florida, or Auburn games played this year, in four quarters the Dawgs managed to expose every weakness this Vol football team has.
A chorus of boos now reign down on this program. They are not inspired by a John Pennington article nor are they likely to be quelled by an advertisement of former players. After all, getting pushed around on both sides of the football is more demoralizing that giving up cheap special teams plays.
In 2007 winning the Georgia game saved the season for the UT. In 2008, the loss may have killed it. The fact is in the last 26 SEC contests the Tennessee Volunteers are 14-12. For all the statisticians out there that is a 54% conference winning percentage. Based on UT’s performance Saturday that isn’t likely to improve.
Couple the Vol’s struggles with the tough economic times this country is going through, some may think that the people of Tennessee have a new Wall Street villain. His name is Phillip Fulmer.
When Mike Hamilton and the board of Trustees offered a contract extension this summer the fans and the media were all scratching their heads. Some speculated that the raise and extension was window dressing for recruits. Unfortunately the recruits didn’t buy it. Now that we are faced with a 2-4 start with a resurgent Alabama program on the horizon, talk of a buyout is circulating like an Obama campaign slogan.
Fulmer is in a no lose situation. If he is fired, he is sitting on a six million dollar Big Orange Parachute. On the other hand, the program is left with little direction. The Vols have lost their national identity. They cannot move anyone off of the football. They aren’t tackling well. Opposing receivers and quarterbacks are having a field day against the vaunted Tennessee secondary, and special teams aren’t so special. To add insult to injury, there is not a single member of the last recruiting class that is making any notable contribution.
I apologize to all the coaches out there, but you don’t have to be a coach to see the writing on the wall. This team isn’t very good. Aside from one or two players on either side of the ball, until Tennessee decides block and tackle better I don’t see a light at the end of the tunnel with the talent that is currently in place.
In the eyes of the fans, The Big Orange parachute exacerbates and amplifies the problem with the direction of this program. Sure, Phil is going to take some heat that may seem disrespectful in the eyes of some, but a fan base that pays its coach the kind of money that Phil makes should expect an entertaining, competitive product.
Hopefully all parties involved will show some degree of respect for this situation. If they don’t, I wouldn’t be too hard on them. Given the economic pinch it is difficult to blame them for being upset. Fans will always ultimately pay the bill in the end. Perhaps most fans will simply be thankful for the National Championship brought to the University 10 years ago.
Regardless of how bad things get in the media or with the fans, Phil walks away with millions in his pocket and a Sears trophy on his resume. Therefore I see no disrespect in my hope that Fulmer shows some gratitude for the Big Orange Parachute as well. Thanks to it, he will definitely land with two feet on the ground
2 responses to “Guitar Shots to the Head: The Big Orange Parachute”
Regarding “there is not a single member of the last recruiting class that is making any notable contribution”, do you think possibly this is the crux of the problem. Fulmer is a fine man, but I think his loyalty to the older players is carried to a fault (i.e. Arian Foster, Jon Crompton, most of the secondary and OL). How often do we throw our super frosh into the mix? Beside Berry and Rogan last year (who are real studs), who? I believe this practice can hurts recruiting. Potential recruits want to play and they have to see that they aren’t getting on the field until they get experienced. To Fulmer, being experienced must mean surviving at least 3 summers of 2-a-days.
rocky top.. should take a step back and hire a real good coach and, he’s looking for a head coching job. and he’s also from tenn.he is employed at alabama at present time as asst. head coach, ‘kevin steel’