1...2...3...first down...

these are words that are chanted in the seats behind were we sit in neyland stadium. i have to admit that at first it got on my ever loving last nerve. i mean every time the vols would get a first down you would here "One...Two...Three...FIRST DOWN!!!!". really? do we have to chant that every time? well, now days, they are welcome words...in fact this past week at the ut/alabama game, i found myself joining in the celebration... 

it is rough this year in vol country. in derek dooley's first year he has suffered the worst defeat in neyland stadium and the worst loss to alabama. he knows it is tough as he has said in press conferences that he is constantly reminded of it!!

sunny and i went with my brother in law and father in law to the ut/alabama game this past weekend and i have to say when tauren poole broke through the line and went 59 yards to the checkerboards...i was hopeful. i was like "ok, here we go...it's on!!!" then i go to get a dt coke and bag of peanuts and come back and the tide is up 13 - 7. what the heck...well, they did kick a field goal right before half time and it was 13-10...still a game. i thought wow...they should not be this close to the defending national champs.

third quarter came and it was ballgame. 21 unanswered points in the 3rd quarter to the tide. there were a couple of good drives that resulted in getting into the red zone only to be intercepted. the better team won. period. this team is young (most of these guys were playing high school football last fall) and they are learning the new coaches and the new coaches are getting used to the SEC. maybe in another post i'll talk about the coaches, but for now i'll stick to the ala/ut game.

in my humble, honest opinion matt simms should have played the entire game. tyler bray should not have been put in. when he was in there were 4 penalties for 21 yards. now this could have been coincidence but it makes sense to me that the o-line was not comfortable with bray and it showed. *side note* i am no coach, don't want to be, just an avid sports fan that tries to be informed. at no point in this blog should one look for knowledge about plays or for guidance on how to run a football team (in case coach dooley is reading, i can't really help you sir)*

i haven't watched the defense that much, but i have to say when georgia puts up 41 points on you then there might be something to look at. alabama put up 41 but they have a heisman trophy winning running back in mark ingram and 2 more that look like they could be in richardson and lacy. oregon put up 48 and they have a heisman candidate in lamichael james. coach wilcox came from boise state and had a heck of a defense up there. i have no doubt that he will get the defense up to par...BUT he has to have some players. that is what this whole teams problem is...lack of players. i am frustrated now because the team isn't good, but it will get better. a couple of years and the vols will be back in the thick of the SEC race.

then maybe the words will get on my nerves again, but until then i will route and cheer for every 1...2...3...first down. GO VOLS!!!!!

a little laughter goes a long way

well, in the state of tennessee, there are four season. spring, summer, football and winter. we are in football right now and the state of the beloved vols is less that what people want. football in tennessee has been played since 1891 and have 6 national titles. the last of these came in 1998...keep that in mind. 12 years ago was the last national championship that was won by the vols. however, to listen to people that are fans (of which i am) you would think that they should be playing for one every year. i do not adhere to this philosophy. i am an avid fan, but am realistic to the point that i know that the team is not good this year (2-5 as of this write).

one thing to point out, however, about these fans is that they have had their fair share of great players come through knoxville (peyton manning, reggie white, al wilson, robert neyland, phil fulmer, chad clifton, peerless price...i could go on and on. and this year they have some great players, nick reviez, chris walker, luke stocker, but the depth of the team is lacking and thus this season is not going the way that you as a fan would want. this, in my opinion, is due to several factors. one, take into consideration the fact that the team has had 3 coaches in 3 years. phil fulmer was a long standing coach that was forced out of his job due to 2 poor seasons in a 5 year span. plus in his last years he lost to all the big rivals (alabama, georgia, and florida) and one year the team lost to vanderbilt (i'm serious). second in comes the man on a semi-white horse lane kiffin. he led the vols to a 7-5 season and a horrible bowl loss only to leave out the back door to usc. good riddence. (there may be more on this at a later date).  all of this led to numerous guys coming in and going out. plus recruiting suffered in the last of the fulmer era and hasn't gained ground yet.

now, here is derek dooley. new head coach of the vols. he walked right into a perfect storm. he has a team that is young and inexperienced. he has a fan base that expects to win championships every season (i'm serious, listen to the sports animal sometime and you'll hear 'em). in fact, the callers on the shows will refer to "we didn't play x, or we have to do y" and probably didn't even play football ever.  now, some callers have played and like to tell this every call they have. not sure what they are thinking because they just sound like morons, but i listen anyway. sunny thinks i am a dork for it!

i have to say i like derek dooley and think he will bring talent to knoxville and the vols will someday get back to that "winning way". anyway, i've said all this to get to my point. i follow josh ward, a local radio host, on facebook and today he posted a video link of part of derek dooley's press conference...i don't know that i have laughed so hard or enjoyed a press conference so much.  here is the link.

it just goes to show that even though it has been and will continue to be a long season, a little laughter can go a long way. thanks coach!!