Well, the pre-season glamor-polls are starting to come in, from current trickle to soon-to-be-torrent...and not really shocking is the absence of our team--not just in the lists but even the discussion, for the most part.
I can't even argue, really, and wouldn't anyway: If we are to do ANYTHING notable in the coming season, let alone truly begin what will be looked back upon as "the start of our return to greatness", it'll have to begin once more with a chip on our shoulders, overlooked and underrated.
God knows we're gettn plenty of both the latter--and as for that aforementioned "chip", well, if you and I are feelin' it, gotta believe it's a conscious and supreme reality and motivating factor for the players...and when it comes to "feelings", got one our Head Coach knows what to do with THIS one, and the mood of his TEAM.
Now, if there's at least one bigtime QB among the current group (you know, the small cluster that apparently drove our single experienced field-leader over to WR before August), that'll obviously go a long way towards making all of the above more than a feeling, more than a wish and a prayer.
We'll have our chances, as always. First "Big One" looks to be at Rocky Top, as that annual Sept tilt returns to apparent "rivalty"-status. 'Course, the media "experts" have that suddenly just the first in the Vols' supposed "rolling return to prominence". Would be an ideal place to see their pronouncements go off-the-rails in annual fashion (a la Auburn LAST year)--and likewise announce OUR "alternate script"? Too much still unknown (regarding our offense especially) to make any predictions--but that game should tell us an awful lot bout where we're at and where we're headed anytime soon.
I can't even argue, really, and wouldn't anyway: If we are to do ANYTHING notable in the coming season, let alone truly begin what will be looked back upon as "the start of our return to greatness", it'll have to begin once more with a chip on our shoulders, overlooked and underrated.
God knows we're gettn plenty of both the latter--and as for that aforementioned "chip", well, if you and I are feelin' it, gotta believe it's a conscious and supreme reality and motivating factor for the players...and when it comes to "feelings", got one our Head Coach knows what to do with THIS one, and the mood of his TEAM.
Now, if there's at least one bigtime QB among the current group (you know, the small cluster that apparently drove our single experienced field-leader over to WR before August), that'll obviously go a long way towards making all of the above more than a feeling, more than a wish and a prayer.
We'll have our chances, as always. First "Big One" looks to be at Rocky Top, as that annual Sept tilt returns to apparent "rivalty"-status. 'Course, the media "experts" have that suddenly just the first in the Vols' supposed "rolling return to prominence". Would be an ideal place to see their pronouncements go off-the-rails in annual fashion (a la Auburn LAST year)--and likewise announce OUR "alternate script"? Too much still unknown (regarding our offense especially) to make any predictions--but that game should tell us an awful lot bout where we're at and where we're headed anytime soon.
