Grasping for perspective

by VandyImport on Nov 21, 2011 1:19 PM EST

December 14, 2010. Your own words, Mr. Import:

Maybe this is realistic, maybe not, but here's what I'd like to see:

Season one: more than two wins.

Season two: not less than 5 wins (including, by definition, at least one conference win)

Season three: not less than 6 wins (which would assume a bowl since they hand those out like candy now)

Season four: not less than 7 wins AND a bowl bid outside the 615 area code.

Season five: all of season four PLUS at least one big-ticket win over the Penitentiary of Tennessee, or some big-ticket foe like Florida or Alabama that we haven’t beaten in years.

I don’t think this is unreasonable at all – in fact I would consider this the bare minimum necessary to keep your job, things being how they are. If you have to throttle down the non-conf schedule to help out, fine, but steady progress is mandatory and backsliding unacceptable.

Well, in the cold light of morning, it looks as if we would have wrapped up Year Five if we could have run the table in these last two games. As it is, we're going to finish Year Two for sure and possibly Year Three if we can get over on Wake Forest.

What we needed from the third head coach in seven months was twofold:

1) Stop the bleeding.

2) HOPE.

This has been the baptism by fire. Every are-you-kidding-me stupid penalty, every missed field goal, every inexplicable turnover at the worst possible moment, every bleep of the SEC Referee Random Event Generator - this team has taken a pile of adversity and turned it into a record that is five key plays away from 9-2 going into the final game.

Do you think a healthy Warren Norman is worth one play a game? How about Brian Kimbrow? How about Jordan Rodgers for a full season with a healthy and experience line behind him (that cuts out the bullshit)? How about one reliable placekicker inside the red zone?

We've gone from being the Cubs to the Red Sox. From utterly hapless to oh-so-close-and-hopes-dashed-in-the-worst-way. And in some ways, it hurts worse knowing that we're not SOV but still not to the promised land. But look at where we've gotten to in eleven months.

Take it, Sam:

Anchor Down. Beat Wake.

FanPosts are most often submitted by users. The views and opinions expressed in FanPosts do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions held by the editorial staff of The Anchor of Gold or SB Nation.

Tweet Comment 7 comments | 3 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Great perspective.

It is so easy to get down on ourselves after what we’ve seen. But I found an email from August to a co-worker that I would be ecstatic with a 5 win season, surprised by a four win season, and expecting a 3 win season- that puts thing into perspective for sure.

Also, to change the subject a bit, and maybe i’ve just missed it on this site- but has anyone else heard the whole James Franklin said, “We’ll be back MFers!”? Do we have any credible reports of him actually saying this to UT fans?

I’d really like to know if he did.

by Brett McReynolds on Nov 21, 2011 3:39 PM EST reply actions

I haven’t heard that at all. I’d be disappointed if he did. If that were true I’d have serious concerns about his self-control. But I doubt it.

He’d hardly have time to do all the stupid crap that UT fans have accused him of in the time between the final whistle and when he got off the field.

by The Goche on Nov 21, 2011 7:43 PM EST up reply actions

To be honest

I wouldn’t really care if he went down that road. After the Bobby Johnson years, I’m just happy Franklin has more personality than a cold stone.

Perhaps he could work on his word selection, but after hearing about the Dooley “beating the shit out of Vandy” quote, I certainly hope we will be back, MFers.

by MrManager on Nov 21, 2011 7:51 PM EST up reply actions

I've heard this as well

From several UT people who typically are good at saying what really happened, but there’s nobody who wants to come out and say it definitely happened without any video or audio or something to go off of. I doubt anyone on either side wants anything to come of the rumor.

______________________________________________
Boom. Here comes the Boom. Braydy or not. Here comes the boy from the West.

by bobothevol on Nov 21, 2011 8:10 PM EST up reply actions

Totally agree. And being quite honest, I never expected to beat UT before the season started. Them losing Hunter and us being better than I ever expected made it a possibility.

Still sucks that you had an opportunity and didn’t do it. If we don’t beat Wake it will feel like a big failure (not that game in particular, but losing so many close/winnable games to finish with just 5 wins). Plus it would be huge for our team to be able to practice an extra month.

But no doubt, this season is already a huge success.

by The Goche on Nov 21, 2011 7:49 PM EST reply actions

Losing the last two would hurt

just because it would feel like breaking the momentum…especially without a road win all year. If I were to revise and extend my remarks, I’d say that for the REAL Year 2 I’d like to see 6-6 with at least one road win as a minimum.

The interesting thing is that I would assume that the beatable conference teams (and you know who they are) are both on the road, and Florida and Tennessee are presumably in Nash Vegas…but with the pledges coming into the conference next year, I assume everything is on super-monkey-tilt as far as scheduling until I hear something definite from Birmingham. I did hear somebody assert that there’s a real chance we could go 20 years without another Auburn game – which sounds crazy, but everything since the Pac-12 launched has been crazy.

(Am I the only one who was just fine with 12?)

"Well, if that ain't a show, I'll kiss your ass." - Gov. Jim Folsom Sr. (D-AL), 1948-52

by VandyImport on Nov 21, 2011 9:42 PM EST up reply actions

Franklin

I am backing Coach Franklin because of his passion. He says what I feel! Right now I am down on people who make mistakes when playing the game we love to watch. But I am fired up about defeating that UT coach in the video.

Beat Wake!

by vujoe on Nov 21, 2011 8:16 PM EST reply actions