Woe is Rocky Top: Tee Martin Isn’t Walking Through That Door; Heath Shuler or Johnny Majors, Either
College Football September 3rd. 2008, 3:45pm
You mocked us when we included Tennessee in our preseason Top 10, and obviously, we deserved it. In what we regarded as the largest upset in a bizarre weekend of college football – Clemson didn’t really lose to Nick Saban; nope, didn’t happen – Tennessee lost at UCLA, 27-24 in OT. Rebuilding UCLA. Down-to-its-third-QB UCLA. Four-picks-in-a-half UCLA.
You want to blame the refs, fine; want to pin it on the UT kicker, that’s fine too. Despite not seeing one play (nor a highlight!), all signs point to this one being on Fulmer, he of the expanding waistline and lack of recent Top 10 finishes.
We went poking around Vol country this morning because schadenfreude can be fun, and the outrage is off the charts:
Phil Fulmer is the new Lloyd Carr
UT 0-3 in SEC by Mid-October?
Who will be our next coach?
Um, why didn’t WE try to hire Norm Chow?
I want a new OC, HC and QB
Note to self: Never, ever again wager another cent on a Phil Fulmer-coached team.
66 Responses to “Woe is Rocky Top: Tee Martin Isn’t Walking Through That Door; Heath Shuler or Johnny Majors, Either”
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September 3rd, 2008 at 3:46 PM
Who really cares about NYC sports radio?
September 3rd, 2008 at 3:49 PM
All I know is some of the runners on Tenn’s team are huge douchebags…and their football choked bigtime.
In all fairness, Craft was a different QB in the second half. It was unbelievable.
September 3rd, 2008 at 3:50 PM
I am surprised you admitted to talking about something you didn’t watch.
Peyton Manning didn’t beat Florida but I would put him in that headline before Heath Shuler.
September 3rd, 2008 at 3:54 PM
Fulmer looks like he ate Charlie Weis in that picture.
September 3rd, 2008 at 3:54 PM
Should read in single OT, not triple
September 3rd, 2008 at 3:54 PM
The obligatory post I’ve been looking forward to all day. Phil Fulmer is the new Lloyd Carr and he is about 4 years to being the new (half as successful) Bobby Bowden.
September 3rd, 2008 at 3:54 PM
travis henry was so upset with the loss to ucla, he bought a condom.
September 3rd, 2008 at 3:54 PM
“Phil Fulmer is the new Lloyd Carr”
Funny, I didn’t know Lloyd Carr won a National Title.
September 3rd, 2008 at 3:55 PM
apparently, michigan fans didn’t either.
September 3rd, 2008 at 3:56 PM
I always thought Fulmer was a slightly better version of John Cooper; a great recruiter and not much of a game coach. Unfortunately for Vols fans, the gap is closing and Tennessee is not recruiting as well. It is just difficult to fire a college coach that has won a national title, even though it would be best for the program.
September 3rd, 2008 at 3:59 PM
I don’t know why everyone thinks this was such a huge upset. To me, it was just another case of an underrated Pac-10 team playing and overrated SEC team. And really, the SEC is now 6-2 playing the Pac-10 on the west coast, so it’s not all that surprising.
September 3rd, 2008 at 3:59 PM
That pic make Phil look huger than he already is
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:00 PM
I don’t know anybody that’s blaming anything on the refs or the kicker. It was purely bad coaching and terrible execution by the players; mostly bad coaching though.
/single tear rolls down cheek
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:03 PM
by the way, TBL, I could have told you not to put any money on TN, ever. feel free to ask before you make a decision like that.
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:06 PM
@thecassino… The disparity in talent in this game was huge. UCLA had absolutely no business within 2 TD’s of Tennessee. The Vols managed to allow the Bruins to stay within range in the first half and even early second half…
/I hate the SEC
//I love watching Phat Phil lose
///Neuheisel will have the Bruins on probation in 5 years or less…
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:11 PM
Not to mention lost its starting WR, TE, and running back, all seniors, to injury in the first quarter UCLA.
Great game to watch, and and as much blame can be given to Fulmer, some credit has to be given to UCLA’s coaching staff. Great debut by Neuheisel, Norm Chow did a good job calling the plays, and GREAT job by DeWayne Walker and the UCLA defense.
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:11 PM
The funny thing is these seem like major upsets until you figure in that you are ranking these teams BEFORE THEY EVEN PLAY A DOWN. So in reality Tenn wasn’t upset because it was worse than UCLA as seen by the first actual game they played this season. Any loss in week one is not an upset, but a barometer.
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:12 PM
So then App State > Michigan
/Sorry I had to
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:13 PM
I would have to say that Arkansas State beating A&M in College Station was a slightly bigger upset. But yes, Tennessee did shit the bed.
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:13 PM
great win by UCLA and the original “sweater vest” Neuheisel
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:17 PM
I know Tennessee has more talent. But they clearly are not as good a team as they were made out to be in preseason polls.’
UCLA absolutely had business being within 2 TD’s of Tennessee. Their defense was incredible, and likewise as a team are clearly not as bad as they were made out to be.
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:19 PM
cute
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:22 PM
god forbid i comment w/o spencer telling us how he feels. get a life man
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:24 PM
cute
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:26 PM
This game is nothing but a perfect example of how poor the coaching is with the Vols and why there absolutely, positively, 100% has to be a change. There should have been a change 3-4 years ago. This program just keeps going backwards in terms of leadership, coaching, and direction. It’s sickening to watch, and all the outrage is more than warranted.
That UCLA team deserved to win the game, but they had absolutely no business doing so. UT outclassed them at every single position on the field (save for possibly DT), and only the pathetic preparation, execution, play-calling, and miscues of a Philip Fulmer led team could lose that game. UT almost had to try to lose that game, which is exactly what they did. If they wouldn’t have thrown a single pass in the game, UT wins. It’s just a pathetic game and one of the lowest points I have ever witnessed as a UT fan, and that is really saying something after some of the shit I’ve witness the past few years. It’s gotten to the point where I just literally don’t care anymore, and if they don’t do something about it, they are going to completely set this program and tradition back a great deal.
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:26 PM
this guy breaks down the disparities of game and the ridiculousness of the ranking a little more.
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:26 PM
@spencer- so where is our one month bet chump? i got USC and you got the Bucks. loser is off this site for a month. Bet?
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:27 PM
Do they want to run Sherman out of town at College Station already?
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:27 PM
Yes, quite obviously App. State was better than UM last year. THEY BEAT US AT HOME! I don’t see how anyone can call a week one loss an upset. It isn’t an upset, what it is is proof positive that the voting pundits don’t know shit. They vote on name recognition and conference power, which is horse shit. It is terribley effective way to over/under value teams and hurt them and their chances from day one all the way until January. It doesn’t work. You know what they say about forecasts? They are 99% wrong everytime.
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:27 PM
Don’t worry guys! It’s not like Fulmer just signed long extension this past off season or anything… oops.
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:28 PM
irish…no dice. id have nothing to do at work then other than…gasp…work.
howabout this: loser puts up a SFW avatar of the winner’s choosing until the winner’s team loses a game.
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:29 PM
already happening, Sean Jean. head up to Knoxville on a typical June day and buy yourself a Knoxville News Sentinel. open the sports page and check out the UT articles. you will notice a plethora of men’s basketball articles with a notes article here and there concerning football. football used to be king in Knoxville all year and this coaching establishment is killing it.
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:29 PM
Buff/Cleve game
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:30 PM
August: I know. It’s so fucking mind bogglingly frustrating. It’s going to really cost them. I truly think we could see a record low attendance for the home opener in a week and a half. People are as mad as they have ever been. When the coaching is as bad as it has gotten, it really isn’t that complicated or hard to see. We just plain suck.
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:30 PM
This is all I’ll say in support of UT: they did go to the SEC championship last year, and though they lost, they lost to the eventual BCS Champion.
Forgive me if my heart isn’t exactly breaking for Vol fans.
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:30 PM
You do not dare let the words “sweater vest” cross your lips in Spencer’s presence unless it is in reference to Coach “Keep my star player in the game in the 3rd quarter of a blowout to pad his Heisman resume so he will be about 80% for the biggest game of the year” Tressel
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:31 PM
Jeez, I mean I know it was a tough loss and all but reading these comments you would think Tennessee hasn’t won a national title in 20 years or won a bowl game in 15, or lost to a fucking service academy.
When all of those happen to you then I will be able to stand the crying.
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:31 PM
miz: Oh yeah, no doubt. But it could (and after last Monday possibly has) get worse. We aren’t going to get the respect we used to get just because of who we are. We aren’t going to keep getting nice rankings even with young and unproven teams. We aren’t going to be going to larger bowls over lesser teams. We aren’t going to get the big recruits. It’s just ridiculous that it has gotten to this point and is probably not going to change barring a complete disaster (kind of like 2005, which oops, no change was made).
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:31 PM
another one for that?
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:32 PM
August, on top of that they won a fucking national championship 10 years ago.
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:33 PM
diesel knows how it is…you can insult my family, my friends whomever, but if you insult Senator Tressel or my dog…you’re gonna hear it.
oh, and one more thing diesel…beanie was in because the bucks hadn’t converted a red zone attempt all game. and if you’re going to use that rationale, then why not knock pete carroll for leaving his starters in at VA in the 4th? or tebow still throwing against fuckign Hawaii?
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:34 PM
August: While that’s true, that isn’t enough. We don’t want to go to the SEC Championship just to lose it every 3 or 4 years. We want to win it, and a lot of the time, we should be winning it. And we sure as fuck shouldn’t be losing the opening game to a injury riddles mediocre Pac-10 team because we can’t even snap the ball, get off a punt without 5 guys blocking it, run it in from the 2 without fumbling, getting a delay of game on a field goal kick, etc. etc. etc. The miscues are just off the charts with this team.
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:35 PM
I don’t know about that. I go to UCLA and well, the feeling around this game was far from hopeful. I basically was just hoping to stay within 2 touchdowns. The fact of the matter is, no matter how potentially underrated a team is, you should get beat by a third string QB if the levels of talent are close or in this case tipped towards Tennessee, especially after UCLA lost their starting TE, RB, and WR
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:35 PM
And I will add. I think the first polls should come out after the third week or so.
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:37 PM
Fucking fuck, Orioles blow 4-0 lead, haven’t had a god damned winning season in 10 years, now that is worth crying about.
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:38 PM
Noon? What time zone are you in?
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:38 PM
@jeeves – you should check out this guy’s take on that
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:38 PM
It’s just ridiculous that it has gotten to this point and is probably not going to change barring a complete disaster (kind of like 2005, which oops, no change was made).
Wasn’t that when the Offensive coordinator was fired and Cutcliffe was brought back in… plus you guys finally got rid of the Clausen brothers, which is always a help to at least reduce the douche factor.
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:41 PM
August: Yep that’s when we fired Sanders, and brought in……..wait for it…..OUR OLD OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR. Great radical change Phil! This was the year we were supposed to actually have gotten in some new blood, but clearly this new blood has no idea what they are doing, which all falls down from the Fat One.
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:41 PM
it’s ironic that this year is the ten year anniversary of the last SEC championship and national championship. Tennessee has recruited well in the past ten years – I would guess an average recruiting class in the top 10. however, Tennessee is not finishing in the top 10 consistently, or basically at all. that points in only one direction and that’s to the coaching.
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:41 PM
I just wish this shitty Tennessee team would have showed up last year against UGA.
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:43 PM
or to the recruiting services that don’t rate players accurately.
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:43 PM
I would be much more upset if I were a Clemson fan. I somewhat defended Tommy Bowden on the Clemson thread a few weeks back. Won’t make that mistake again. That was a coaching mismatch if I’ve ever seen one.
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:44 PM
I would say that, spence, but it’s not working out that way for teams that recruit in the top ten with good coaches. those teams consistently finish in the top 10.
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:45 PM
Also spence, you can see the talent on the field. These are very talented players. They’re big, fast, and they can get the job done. There are just so many freaking miscues and errors and foul-ups. It’s all coaching, and it’s really glaringly obvious. You don’t have to know a lot about football to recognize a team coached as poorly as this one.
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:47 PM
So the team wasn’t underrated because even the people at the school didn’t think they were as good as they probably are?
The rest of your post was too poorly written to determine what point you were trying to make. Did you mean you shouldn’t lose to a third string QB? And if the talent levels were only slightly tipped toward Tennessee as you suggest, then wouldn’t the coaching advantage give UCLA the edge or at least even things out?
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:48 PM
well charlie weis has been recruiting in the top 10 since he arrived and he’s not winning.
/sarcasm…just to make sure people understand that i’m kidding about charlie weis being a good coach
//and i agree, fulmer can’t coach
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:51 PM
I think the best analogy is this: If you switched the coaching staffs in that game on Monday, Tennessee wins that game by 2-3 touchdowns. And I don’t even think that highly of Neuheisel (I do on the other hand like Chow and the DC).
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:52 PM
What I don’t see at UT that we saw constantly when I was younger is dominate lineman… when was the last Henderson or Haynesworth? The defensive line has been very inconsistent the last few years and not at all like the d-line I remember 10-15 years ago.
The UT offensive line hasn’t blown me away by any means (the lack of sacks last year was aided greatly by Ainge’s vagina-like propensity to throw the ball away after 6 seconds). That’s where you guys are being let down.
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:54 PM
August: That’s true to some extent, but I think that has caused us to instead of being a consistent top 10 and often top 5 team, to be a top 15 team for a few years. The shit we are seeing this year, last year, and in 2005 is causing us to be a borderline unranked team, and that is simply not acceptable.
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:58 PM
Because those guys didn’t get hurt…and I take any opportunity I can get to make fun of sweater vest….booya.
September 3rd, 2008 at 5:01 PM
brilliant
where’d you steal it
September 3rd, 2008 at 5:33 PM
@mizerle- That’s pretty much how I feel about the polls.
My bad, I forgot the n’t on shouldn’t.
Let’s put it this way, fans of a team generally overstate their own team’s ability. Of course there are level headed fans who think otherwise and the type of fans that are fatalistic about their team no matter the circumstance. Overall, though, fans will come into the season with raised expecations and hope. By anecdotally adding how the general feeling amongst UCLA fans was that a non-blowout loss would be a good result, I’m trying to illustrate how even UCLA homers had tempered their expectations for this game. This UCLA team, specifically their offense is bad. (The defense on the other hand is good). But this offense was bad when they had Pat Cowan (their 1st string QB) under center, so it’s that many times worse with their 3rd stringer in there.
Anyway, the point about the 3rd string QB is that you shouldn’t lose a team with their third string QB with the caveat of a situation where Troy is playing someone like USC who hypothetically is on their 3rd string QB. That’s also, without even throwing in the fact that UCLA was without their top TE, RB, and a starting WR.
UCLA played out of their minds in that game. I reckon, the first half offensive ineptitude is closer to their true ability (on offense obviously). A crappy offense shouldn’t be able to beat a good SEC team. Also, I didn’t necessarily say that the talent difference between UCLA and Tennessee is close, I just stated that it was tipped towards Tenn. For what it’s worth, over the last 4 years, UCLA has averaged a 24th ranked recruiting class, while Tenn has averaged a 14th ranked. Obviously, these rankings aren’t perfect, but they at least lend credence to the idea that there is a talent gap between the schools does exist.
I got a bit long winded, but I guess to sum it up. Fine, under normal circumstances (UCLA with no injuries) probably not that big of an upset, but considering who the Bruins were missing, it is a pretty big deal.
September 3rd, 2008 at 5:33 PM
Rankings courtesy of Rivals
September 3rd, 2008 at 6:32 PM
You heard it here first folks. Mark UCLA down for ~8 INTs a game.
September 4th, 2008 at 9:13 AM
My question is how a good team can return a punt to the opponent’s 25 yard line … and end up punting? Answer: when the coach is Phil Fulmer. Sean Jean is right … there is a huge amount of disgust with Fulmer and the coaching staff. And, as a lifelong Vol fan, this is one of the worst losses I’ve endured simply because it was so avoidable. For example, UCLA’s D-line looked awesome and the Bruins were getting fantastic pressure up the middle. Why? Because it took the Vol coaches 3.5 quarters to realize that if they put Crompton in the shotgun, he could see the rush better and make better decisions. Instead, they kept putting him right under center. The result was a quarterback constantly in trouble and an O-line thinking they’ll have to get off the ball fast to have a remote shot at protecting him … which led to false starts. When they FINALLY moved him to the shotgun in the fourth quarter … touchdown to retake the lead, and a field goal to tie the game at the end of regulation.
And, Sean Jean, you’re right again when you say that if the UCLA coaches had Tennessee’s players, they would have beaten Fulmer with the Bruin players by 20-plus points … and they might actually challenge for the PAC-10 title. Instead, the Vols will be looking at a December trip to lovely Shreveport.