LARGETONY Blog

There are certain phrases that no matter how many times you hear them your response to them is almost always the same. Maybe the response is dread (”We need to talk..” ); or maybe it’s anxiety (”Now this may sting a little…” ); and sometimes it’s pure excitement like when you hear “I have no gag reflex.”

But for me, when it’s a Saturday in the fall, there’s on phrase that gets me like no other….”IT’S FOOTBALL TIME IN TENNESSEE!” Those five beautiful words are shouted over the airwaves by the play-by-play announcer on the radio just as the opening kick-off occurs at each game.

I remember when I was a kid how we would shout it during neighborhood games in the street or somebody’s yard or field. Except we didn’t do it just for kick off. You’d hear somebody say on every play.

Even though he retired several years ago, I associate the phrase with John Ward, who was the “Voice of the Vols” from the late sixties to the late nineties. Bob Kessling does it now. He’s not as good, and is not worth of a link (in my opinion), but it’s still a great thing to hear. And the forty or so weeks of the year that you don’t hear are some of the saddest.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. There is nothing in the world like football on Saturday in Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee with a hundred thousand of your best friends. (For 31 years Tennessee has held the record for highest attendance among Southeastern Conference schools. You hear that, BrettCajun? And we’re not obnoxious about it either.) On a football Saturday, anybody dressed in orange is your best friend.

But the head man in orange isn’t quite sure who his friends are right now. Tennessee is coming off it’s first losing season in Phil Fulmer’s fourteen years as head coach. Even with all his prior success (he has the highest career winning percent of currently active coaches) he is on the hot seat because Vol fans just aren’t used to losing (the last losing season was in 1988). Naturally things are not going to turn around overnight, but the popular opionion is that we better go at least 8 and 4 (8 wins, 4 losses) this year for him to keep his job. Some even say that 8-4 is not enough.

If 8-4 is really going to be the measure, then Fulmer might need to start contacting Century 21. Tennessee traditionally plays one of the toughest schedule in the country. With five of our opponents currently in the top 25 (2 in the top 10), this year is no different. What’s different is that usually we are up there with them.

And we start off by playing #12. This Saturday, Tennessee plays Cal in Knoxville in the season opener. Two weeks later it’s #8 Florida (one of our most bitter rivalries) so we’re going to know pretty early what the Vols are made of. I wish we played our tougher opponents later in the year when a young team has a little more experience under their belts and when it matters more in the polls.

Actually Tennessee is considered a 2 point favorite against Cal. And we do have some things to our advantage. The Pac-10 schools are generally pretty offense oriented and our defense is our strength. Even with the disatrous season we had last year, our defense was among the tops. We just couldn’t score points because our offense sucked. So a strong defense might be able to handle Cal. We also have homefield advantage, not to mention that Cal has to travel across the entire country for this game. They are going to have to be a little bit wiped.

But even with the advantages, I’m not sure we have the confidence (and talent) back on the offense. I hate to say it, but I’m feeling like I have to give Cal the edge. I’m not one of those fans who puffs out his chest and struts around about how we’re going to whoop ass. Even in our good years. Tennessee fans in general are not like that. We leave that sort of thing to Gators and Tigers (or is it Le Tigres down there?). Do we want to win? Hell, yeah! Do we like to win? He’ll yeah! But, we’re about enjoying football, not being bullies. Besides, football is a crazy game, and on any given Saturday, anything can happen. You’ll win the games you weren’t supposed to, and lose the ones you should have. Last year, nobody expected us to lose to Vanderbilt and nobody expected us to beat LSU. But both happened. Right, Brett?

I suck at trying to predict scores or point spreads, but here’s my predictions for wins and losses for Tennessee this year.

• California - L
• Air Force - W
• Florida - L
• Marshall - W
• Memphis - W
• Georgia - W
• Alabama - W
• South Carolina - L (but close)
• LSU - L (probably the best team we will play)
• Arkansas - W
• Vanderbilt - W
• Kentucky- W

So, if things go the way I think (or better) maybe Fulmer will keep his job. Except the loss to Florida may be too much for some people at 8 and 4. If Tennessee was to beat Florida, Georgia, and Alabama, I think people could forgive almost any other losses. But all that remains to be seen.

All I know, it’s going to be quite a season. Whether we fall deeper in the pit or rise out of the ashes like a big orange Phoenix, it’s going to be a great one. Because no matter how the chips fall, or whose head may roll, on Saturday’s in Knoxville, it’ll still be FOOTBALL TIME IN TENNESSEE!

This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 29th, 2006 at 10:49 pm and is filed under football. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.