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Topic: its Trash Time in Tennessee
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Drew4UTk · « **on:** September 22, 2019, 05:16:56 PM »

And this is disappointing.

I’ve seen countless social media posts and even respected sports writers speak of the issues in the Tennessee Volunteer Football Program, and all from a position of authority either perceived, seized, or stolen. Here is a straight up challenge offered directly to those folks: “Walk a mile in their shoes”.
You don’t suit up everyday and take the practice field. You don’t study film and strategize your next move- planning and implementing tactics to achieve those strategic concepts and all in hopes those efforts will bring success. You haven’t paid in sweat equity what the team and coaches have, and though you may believe you share in the burden of failure, you don’t. You go about your business through the next week and at best monitor, from afar, any activities or rumors of activities of the team. You may think your are ‘engaged’, but until you’re suited up an the field with hours and hours of physical practice and at least twice that in concentrated thought, your notions of ‘loss’ pale in magnitude to those that meet this criteria. In short- get off their backs.

All that said. UT-AD Coach Fulmer, Coach Pruitt&Co., and every trainer and player on that team: “WTF?”.

I don’t know a lot about a lot. I don’t know even a little about a little. What I can offer, though, with little doubt? There is something amiss on that hill. Now as described above it’s not my position to tell you your jobs. Offering you advice is the epitome of arrogance and though guilty more than not that is what I’m attempting to avoid by this entire presentation. Instead, I would appreciate we sharply focus on known deficiencies that only you guys are truly ‘keenly’ aware of, as well as the items that are running smoothly (again, you’re perspective), and with a perspective as if looking through scoped optics. Twist the variable zooming mechanism on these optics until you can see ‘both’ of these items… Now, zoom out some more. We want to see the entire package- the good, the bad, the known and the unknown, the hopeful and the concerning should ALL be within the perspective of the eye behind that scope.

What do you see?

What you see? We see. Fans. Those who place far too much value on your production than likely healthy. We don’t know about the triumph of one component as it performs admirably because all we see is another falling down figuratively or literally. For this reason, and from this perspective- Fans attempt to fancy themselves CEO’s of the program. The punch line? Some of them are. Some of them are boosters with far too much impact and leverage on the team and program.

Can any of you imagine working for as many ‘bosses’ as a floundering FBS Football Program?
We fans, even those with big sticks of influence over the program, need to STFU and offer support. Pruitt has a job to do. You may not like how he’s performing it thus far (I sure don’t) but it’s a process and one that won’t be fixed quickly especially after all the items I’ve offered above have run roughshod over the once proud program, and that which WE were a part of.
Here are some demands that are reasonable:

We want UT to be competitive at a minimum, and with anyone in the nation
We want UT to be respected.
We would like to see some of our rivals beaten with some consistency, but at least entering a game without dread… just once more in our lifetimes.

I don’t think any of that is unreasonable. They are admirable goals, no? Ask yourselves, though, how that list would compare to the lists those actually working to repair and recover UT Football would draft? I imagine it would be the same, but with the addition of:

We want our student athletes to become men of great, and men of renown.
We want our student athletes to be champions in all their endeavors both on the field and off.
We would like to see our student athletes taught with a formal education that arms them admirably and for success in the field they choose, and with a mental toughness and champion’s approach to adversity that aside from armed conflict, only organized team sports can instill.

The intent of the above is NOT to play the stupid “there are things greater than football” card, but instead to demonstrate that success on the field is only a part of success from the vantage of those charged with developing these kids and ‘setting them up for success’ in all endeavors both on the field and off.

But, enough of this. There is a problem on that team that is keeping it from truly being a team, and THAT is what I am trying to instill here, yet from the better defined perspective of a Fan, and a #VFL.
A “TEAM” is defined as a collection of entities with the same goal. A Football team is a diverse group of efforts to achieve the same ends: more points on the board than your adversary any given week.

One person is not a team but only a component. One person cannot charge a team, it has to be charged by the collective. One person can assume the challenge the team puts forth- which is to give their absolute best effort to achieve the common goal. If they are giving ‘just enough’ they are wrong. They have to rise to the challenge of the team and give ALL. ….. and here is the most important thing about ‘TEAM” when you have a group of highly competitive and capable people staffing that team: “IF YOU CAN’T DO IT, GET OUT OF THE WAY OF SOMEONE WHO CAN”.

This is but an article seemingly directed at the Program at UT Knoxville. It’s not, though, as all of this jargon is something the ‘team’ already knows. Who doesn’t know this? Apparently, us fans.
For this reason- I challenge the components of the “FanTeam” to STFU and offer support, not criticism. Stay out of the professionals way- who were hired and entrusted by the school and state to do a job we’re only vaguely conscious of. Do you want these guys doing well? Me too.. The JOB WE HAVE IS TO SUPPORT. And, I challenge you all to SUPPORT TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY, OR, STEP ASIDE.

The trash DOES need to be taken out. Agreed. Take the negative trash to the curb, y’all, and do what we’re charged to do better than anyone- support- or step aside.

I’m now done except for a shot at several writers I’d like to take before signing off:

How freakin’ DARE you suggest UT has a culture of losing. How freakin’ DARE you suggest putting a freshman QB in for his first start is “setting him up for failure”. Obviously, you’ve not competed against anything more intimidating than a green garden snake. Champions are born in fire- not ‘eased in’. Setting someone up for failure is ‘playing safe’ and ‘conservative’- so you’re wrong there too. Preparing a ‘team’, giving them the tools needed, practicing them as close to real life as possible, and then telling them before the game “It’s on you- go produce” is how you BUILD FAITH, TRUST, CONFIDENCE, LEADERSHIP, it’s HOW YOU MAKE CHAMPIONS. Coddling doesn’t .

AD/Coach Fulmer, HC Jeremy Pruitt&staff, and the entire team: WE HAVE YOUR BACK. Please take the insults dressed up a criticism lightly and move forward. And, for whatever value this has and I’ve placed a lot on it as it’s carried me through the fire of combat and the challenges I’ve personally faced in life: “What lies behind you ain’t your fortune… Go. Get. What. Is. you are a learner today to be a champion tomorrow, but you are a loser never so long as you get your asses back up off the deck“.

Go get it, addressed to Program, Players, and Fans alike.

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Topic: its Trash Time in Tennessee

Drew4UTk

its Trash Time in Tennessee

It's Football Time in Tennessee