Chris Donald is a VOL!

[FBEmeritus]

UT did only lose to Florida by 1 point. Notre Dame couldn't even play on the same field as Florida.

 

 

If life was all about football Ut will do fine for any kid. But most of us know everything is not about a game.

 

A degree from UT vs. one from Notre Dame there is no compairision. I am glad Chris is not that kind of kid.

 

Yea UT played Florida by one, big deal! They still lost, check that big thing hanging up there called a scoreboard. Until UT gets some displine back in that program they will never compete for a SEC or National Championship again. Sad to say and to see but the truth is the truth.

 

Good for Donald and for you orange glasses wearing types, I guess UT has it all now!

[John005]

If life was all about football Ut will do fine for any kid. But most of us know everything is not about a game.

 

A degree from UT vs. one from Notre Dame there is no compairision. I am glad Chris is not that kind of kid.

 

Yea UT played Florida by one, big deal! They still lost, check that big thing hanging up there called a scoreboard. Until UT gets some displine back in that program they will never compete for a SEC or National Championship again. Sad to say and to see but the truth is the truth.

 

Good for Donald and for you orange glasses wearing types, I guess UT has it all now!

 

 

I don't believe ND is in any better position as a football program than UT after a 9th consecutive bowl loss, and it will be hard to keep their head coach there for any extended period of time the way NFL team's drool over him. I agree they have great academic standards and team discipline, but I think the media and "the good ole days memories" keeps the shine a little brighter on those gold helmets than the results do. They are getting a solid recruiting class this year, so we will see.

 

Discipline on the team took a nose dive the last few years under Fulmer(I have seen the discipline decline since the signing of Kelly Washington, who was a good player, but a distraction they never seemed to call out). Increasing recruiting pressure by fans and boosters that must be entertained, are, in my opinion, making Fulmer feel like he has to gamble on questionable character guys with more frequency to get the athletes they're used to, and that's why you're seeing more discipline problems off the field. That said, I really liked what David Cutcliff did this year. The defense does not have the talent or depth that it usually does, but they will reload. Donald is a great addition.

 

I think from a football perspective Donald made a good choice. Notre Dame is not the prime place to go if you're a defensive player these days. That was made manifest against LSU. SEC schools are in a different class defensively right now.

[catback]

Well congratz to him. He must have found out at ND you have a curfue and have to go to classes. At UT, well you can hang out and clubs, drink underage, stay out all night and fumble during a bowl game and the coach gets a raise.

 

Good for Mr. Donald, I'm sure he'll be a great player, I just don't have much good to say about the UT Program right now. It see it as a broken program and I would rather my kid get a degree from a school that has higher standards.

 

Those with the orange goggles on need to look around. The gators just won their second national championship it two major sports and their second football national championship in football in 10 years under two different coaches. This was the last year I'll pay for season tickets, too much money and not enough effort.

 

Congrats to Donald, a Tennessee kid.

Whats the difference in orange goggles vs. red and blue goggles?

[Solomon]

If life was all about football Ut will do fine for any kid. But most of us know everything is not about a game.

 

A degree from UT vs. one from Notre Dame there is no compairision. I am glad Chris is not that kind of kid.

 

Yea UT played Florida by one, big deal! They still lost, check that big thing hanging up there called a scoreboard. Until UT gets some displine back in that program they will never compete for a SEC or National Championship again. Sad to say and to see but the truth is the truth.

 

Good for Donald and for you orange glasses wearing types, I guess UT has it all now!

 

You are right I suppose, and I guess this one should have gone somewhere else too? Or is he a typical Fulmer thug?

 

Your whole school system shows up when Humphreys plays basketball there, but you are going to turn your back that in the era of dominance, one kid was finally good enough to merit attention from that school up the road? I figured of all people, you would be drooling right now.

 

(And for what it's worth, Rivals has UT with the #2 class right now. Not bad considering the number of 3 star in-state athletes they have brought on.)

Edited January 10, 2007 by Solomon

[FBEmeritus]

You are right I suppose, and I guess this one should have gone somewhere else too? Or is he a typical Fulmer thug?

 

Your whole school system shows up when Humphreys plays basketball there, but you are going to turn your back that in the era of dominance, one kid was finally good enough to merit attention from that school up the road? I figured of all people, you would be drooling right now.

 

(And for what it's worth, Rivals has UT with the #2 class right now. Not bad considering the number of 3 star in-state athletes they have brought on.)

 

 

Look I think it is great that UT is trying to sign more local kids, I for one know many more could play at that level if they would get the opportuinity. I am just saying UT's program is running amuck. You think Fulmer has a great record vs ranked teams and in bowl games? UT has been getting top 10 classes for many years now but are barly in the top 20 most years. Players get into trouble every week up there but very little of it makes the papers, because Fulmer is running interference for them. Maybe if those kids would stay out of the clubs drinking till 3-4 am, while underage they would have the strength to hang on to the football during the games? Getting a starting position means you can assult another person on the basketball court and nothing will be done to you. Sure I know a alot of these things occure elseware, but this is our back yard. Thugs should be kicked off the team the day they break the law, not given a 2 qtr suspension. That is a joke.

 

Good luck to Donald and to UT, hope he does well.

[WesVLT]

FBEmeritus, you make egregious generalizations about UT. Do you know the backbreaking work it takes to maintain a program as prestigious as UT's? Furtherhmore, do you understand that a handful of stupid decisions by a few 18-to-22-year-olds can paint a grossly inaccurate picture of a program's character? You flippantly dismiss the Tennessee program as "broken," but I see a team that overcame intolerable scrutiny such as the kind words you've offered and managed to pull off quite an improvement over last year.

 

The UT football program is far from perfect, but when you assemble any combination of 105 kids, half of them still teenagers, and place upon them the type of pressure and criticism you've offered here, you're bound to have a few kids who don't respond well. The important thing is how the coaching staff and administration respond to the kids' mistakes, and Fulmer and company have been very firm this year.

 

Perhaps if you took a close look at the vast majority of NCAA programs, you'd see kids drinking underage and skipping class pretty much everywhere. As a UT student who lives in Gibbs Hall and is in close contact with many athletes, I can tell you that UT busts its butt to give student-athletes every opportunity to create their own successes in the classroom, and, in most cases, they do just that. As for those who don't achieve? They don't play. Ask Bret Smith.

 

I'll get off my soap box, but when someone peppers inflammatory accusations against a university I know pretty darn well, I feel obliged to respond. I respect you and your posts on this board, but your attacks are, in this case, largely unfair.

 

Now, in the name of relevance: I'm glad Chris Donald will be a Vol, and I hope he finishes high school on a strong note and comes to UT in a burst of enthusiasm. He sounds like he has quite a bit of potential.

 

 

Well congratz to him. He must have found out at ND you have a curfue and have to go to classes. At UT, well you can hang out and clubs, drink underage, stay out all night and fumble during a bowl game and the coach gets a raise.

 

Good for Mr. Donald, I'm sure he'll be a great player, I just don't have much good to say about the UT Program right now. It see it as a broken program and I would rather my kid get a degree from a school that has higher standards.

 

Those with the orange goggles on need to look around. The gators just won their second national championship it two major sports and their second football national championship in football in 10 years under two different coaches. This was the last year I'll pay for season tickets, too much money and not enough effort.

 

Congrats to Donald, a Tennessee kid.

[StorkMontgomery]

I rode out on the plane to TX with his head coach great guy. Donald is a first class I had a chance to rap with him on Friday during the combine, he is the real deal.

[FBEmeritus]

FBEmeritus, you make egregious generalizations about UT. Do you know the backbreaking work it takes to maintain a program as prestigious as UT's? Furtherhmore, do you understand that a handful of stupid decisions by a few 18-to-22-year-olds can paint a grossly inaccurate picture of a program's character? You flippantly dismiss the Tennessee program as "broken," but I see a team that overcame intolerable scrutiny such as the kind words you've offered and managed to pull off quite an improvement over last year.

 

The UT football program is far from perfect, but when you assemble any combination of 105 kids, half of them still teenagers, and place upon them the type of pressure and criticism you've offered here, you're bound to have a few kids who don't respond well. The important thing is how the coaching staff and administration respond to the kids' mistakes, and Fulmer and company have been very firm this year.

 

Perhaps if you took a close look at the vast majority of NCAA programs, you'd see kids drinking underage and skipping class pretty much everywhere. As a UT student who lives in Gibbs Hall and is in close contact with many athletes, I can tell you that UT busts its butt to give student-athletes every opportunity to create their own successes in the classroom, and, in most cases, they do just that. As for those who don't achieve? They don't play. Ask Bret Smith.

 

I'll get off my soap box, but when someone peppers inflammatory accusations against a university I know pretty darn well, I feel obliged to respond. I respect you and your posts on this board, but your attacks are, in this case, largely unfair.

 

Now, in the name of relevance: I'm glad Chris Donald will be a Vol, and I hope he finishes high school on a strong note and comes to UT in a burst of enthusiasm. He sounds like he has quite a bit of potential.

 

 

Well Sir, you make some great points but to say some of my points are "egregious generalizations" is off the map. It is a given that the problems at UT are not just occurring at UT. Many D1 programs experience the same trouble with their young athletes. But let's face it today’s college game can be summed up with one short sentence. "It's all about the money and has nothing to do with education'! Sure many people still think these programs care about the kids but the proof is not in the pudding, so to speak. The programs only care that the money comes in and the fat cats have a good view of the game. This weeks news, we just found out Mr. Morley had academic trouble! How about looking at mid terms and course work during the term, rather than after the season? Just a coincidence I suppose? Yea and I know about the THINK card thing and the network for people who run interference for Fulmer to help keep some players in line and the trouble covered up and kept in house. If these kids don't perform the coach only gets a small raise because the TV money follows wins. I'm a fan, of football and effort, but with effort go results. And simply put Fulmer's time has come and gone, time to put a new zoo keeper in charge.

 

I know these kids are young, but they need to learn one thing day one. Zero tolerance means one infraction, and you are gone. Not well the kid is young. Most kids learn what is right and wrong shortly after diapers. Wearing the orange is an opportunity to learn to go pro, after all that is the main reason a kid plays major college sports these days, to get his own bling for playing a kids game.

 

Sorry I am not that good at making my point but this is one guy who is tired of seeing players get arrested, and then get a slap on the hand and then a starting position for his trouble. Somewhere in society a message has to be sent that if you mess up, you don't move up. But heck when UT is making millions off these kids’ backs I guess everything is just fine.

 

Good luck to the new Tennessee players and Mr. Donald, I really hope they do well in school and on the field, and maybe just maybe change the opinions of this old player and fan. It was different in my day, we played because we loved the game more than ourselves.

 

Lastly in a silly kind of way the football volunteers represent me and every Tennessean. I don't think they know that. They have a responsibility to carry on the tradition of all those Tennessee players of the past who established Tennessee as a national power. They have a responsibility to honor, respect and carry on that tradition. Leaving ones helmet on the field or breaking the law does not cut it!

 

There seems to be no loyalty, no accountability, and as far as many of us are concerned, no respect. The team has too many prima donnas whose only loyalty is to themselves. Many do not care nothing for Tennessee tradition. You are here to get drafted by the NFL which means you are concerned more about your "touches" or your sacks than you are about beating Alabama or Florida. And that is a sad commentary.

[Punisher-whs pride]

Chris Donald is a great guy and i'm glad he decided to stay and play with the Vols! Congrats to him and his family!

[Greenfieldfan]

We got a good one and a class act.

[Volsfan4eva]

If life was all about football Ut will do fine for any kid. But most of us know everything is not about a game.

 

A degree from UT vs. one from Notre Dame there is no compairision. I am glad Chris is not that kind of kid.

 

Yea UT played Florida by one, big deal! They still lost, check that big thing hanging up there called a scoreboard. Until UT gets some displine back in that program they will never compete for a SEC or National Championship again. Sad to say and to see but the truth is the truth.

 

Good for Donald and for you orange glasses wearing types, I guess UT has it all now!

It doesn't matter you can compare scores all you want all that matters is that a sec team won the national championship. And if you want to compare scores look back at 1998 when we won the national championship Florida wasn't even close to us. I agree that we do need some discipline in our program but to say that until we get some discipline we will never win the sec or national championship is a bit ridiculous. In case you didn't watch the Vols play they did pretty good and it's only going to get better.

[ImaSavage]

Congrats to Chris Donald on deciding on becoming a VOL I wish him the best.

 

However, With Notre Dame firing Rick Minter and hiring Corwin Brown, Notre Dame is in perfect position to fix it's defense. Talent wasnt the problem there it was coaching all the way.

 

As for ND's head coach leaving, Hes almnui and has already said He plans to stay at ND until his son graduates from ND.

 

Wanna compare scores ??? UT lost to Florida by 1 ??? Notre Dame beat Penn State by 24.... Scores mean nothing....

 

But yes. Donald is a great pickup for UT ..... Congrats to UT on it and I wish UT the best=)