brockytop (Login brockytop) from IP address 216.82.35.145
I had a great conversation with someone that has ALOT of influence within our football program/athletic dept pitching our 'Neyland's Maxims" idea. This fella is all for it. I was assured this idea would be passed along tonight to an individual whose agreement would be immeasurable to seeing this come to fruition. I was asked to lay low on the radio until after the discussion this evening. The person I spoke with is out of town tomorrow but he told me to call Wenesday & he'd let me know the outcome of this evening's conversation.
If we do not get the results we're looking for by Wenesday, that is when I will call 990 & keep pushing forward. My hunch is to go with what the fella told me to do: Let him pitch the idea tonight & don't press the issue on the air until Wenesday.
I have to be in Gatlinburg on Thurday until 2:00 or so, but I will be glad to meet you & other folks later that afternoon at an establishment of your choice.
Great news, Jeff! I also caught Carter's call to TB and he (TB) sounded positive on the idea of picturing the General and showing the modern team. Helluva idea.
Buts its too late in holding back the calls.
I heard Beano lay it down for Tony at 5:15 and then I did DW, T-Mail and just got done with 990.
Once I get started its hard to get reeled back in.
Jeff that could be good news. To what extent did you discuss the maxims and the fans involvement?
This message has been edited by TnBigAl from IP address 152.163.204.197 on Aug 6, 2001 7:06 PM
TBA & Dewey were ready to fire up the Jumbotron with The General. Dewey hates that sitting-on-the-hands segment of the crowd. They had me fired up.
TBA, Carter, Beano, AND Bryan did a great job bringing it up with either Dewey or Tony.
If Tony & TALL could be presented the General's Maxim's in such a away that each thinks he thought up the idea, I believe Tony would jump on the bandwagon & TALL would implement it. Like him or not, TALL could leave a great legacy by reestablishing the General's great ORANGE sunshine over The Volunteers!!
Also, if the idea could be played up that it is a competitive thing with FL & 'bama--making Neyland stadium the MOST hated & feared place to play in the country, TALL & Tony & the FANS might buy into it!!!
Some of the names suggested were good:
The Trench
TBA's something Maximus
The Battleground
The Pumkin Patch
2 of mine:
The Fox Hole or
THE ORANGE THICKET (A thicket will wear a weak man down & the outside of Neyland Stadium looks like a thicket! I will bet the original Volunteers fought through some thickets.)
TBA, what was the snoozes response? The only call I heard was you getting thru to Swampy.
I don't think it's that big a deal with all the calls going on the air. I appreciate the effort the SPS family's putting into this creation. I didn't speak to my contact until about 5:00 & I doubt he nor the man he's pitching it to heard any of those calls.
If any of you fella's need to e-mail me for more info, ect, my address is:
brockytop@webtv.net --I told you I needed a new computer
TBA, TB shot Beano down pretty good when he suggested the idea of the crowd standing and reciting the Maxums, and poor ole' Beano, God love em', is not one to really fight objection. And I was thinking, the reality of the crowd involvement at that level would be questionable. Only Texas A&M could probably pull that one off.
That's why my dream would be to find that long lost video of Neyland speaking the maxums to the team and mix it with the video we shoot of the LARGE ORANGE coming under the stands through the tunnel just before running through the "T". You know, the same video they show now, except maybe split screen it or cut back and forth to the General, then to the team. The band is in formation, toned down to where you can hear the audio (I know it will be difficult for them to play softer than they already do, but they can try), and as soon as the 7th maxum is read, the "T" breaks, the band BLARES into Rocky Top and all hell breaks loose! Now, you have the crowd involved. And the students might actually make it in before kickoff this way.
Carter, it was good to hear you on the airwaves.You presented it strong to TB and he loved your idea as to how to represent General Neyland.
DW got excited about it all, then when Big Blue mentioned that even TBA had gotten him fired up, and they talked about it,Dewey couldn't remember that we were talking about Maxims and what the gist was.Go figure, even after I emailed him with a heads up.
BT, my first call to 99 in almost two years went so so.I got Jimmy and Lundy involved but you know Lundy, He gets about as excited as a whore being told shes the best that someones had.
I did my traditional "What A day John!" {silence} ahhh hi......
But once again they did like the Voltron and the General idea and I kept trying to convince Lundy and Hymes that the maxim involvement with the fans was a story just waitin to bust loose.
Honestly it felt like one of my way long ago calls to small guy.......
This message has been edited by TnBigAl from IP address 152.163.204.208 on Aug 6, 2001 8:47 PM
to call 990, I would have waited until a day where J & J were doing the show by themselves. Unless someone's wanting to mix it up w/ Griffith, it's about useless to make a call of relative importance when the Senseless sports staff is on the air. I just about NEVER call in during those silly "roundtables". I'll try to call Jimmy off the air & go into further depth if need be.
I'm not so sure where I stand in terms of timing, but my contact was most intrigued by the time currently alloted to the cheerleaders. Like us, he totally agrees those horid cheers do more harm than good in getting our fans fired up.
Carter, I thought about A&M when I heard TB make his point about the crowd, but given the long tradition they have with crowd involvement in their cheers, ect, I guess I can see where we'd have more trouble starting something new. Therefore, I just think the most important thing is to get audio (if available) & video (if available) of Neyland along with highlights tracing great plays in Tennessee football shown & let the crowd simply roar it's approval. If neither the A & V of Neyland calling off his maxims is available, I say UT ought to get a great voice--John Ward, Ron Franlin, ect (to bad the fella that used to do NFL highlights isn't alive--that would be awesome) to sound off the maxims while historic plays are being shown.
I think John Ward would do this in a heartbeat. He has an immense amount of respect and affection for the General. I also think the idea that this came from THE FANS would delight him.
better and better as we go along.If presented the right way and with the hyperboyl of the new season and the 51 team present, It could prove to be the biggest home game since the 98 Fl game.
I will admit to backing off quickly from the crowd recitation of the General’s maxims once confronted by TB. However it was from a lack of conviction and prior thought not kuhunas. Once Tony expressed his doubt about the Neyland crowd’s sometimes-sporadic involvement I tended to agree with his point. I do think that a video clip of the General if one exists with suitable audio would be a crowd favorite regardless of the content. I also think a clip of the team reciting the maxims before exiting the dressing room is a great idea.
I believe we can recite the maxims, even if we ain't trained apes like A&M.
We've been looking for a signature crowd ritual forever. Our total-embarrassment cheerleaders have been scratching their empty noggins over this since they tried that lame T-E-Double-N-E foolishness 25 years ago.
We may be a lazy and unfocused crowd. But, surely to god, over time we can learn to stand up and read seven sentences off the jumbotron. And if those Dumbos from south of the border can stick together on "Rammer Jammer Yellowhammer" – which is just a stupid, stupid thing to say – WE CAN DO THE MAXIMS.
BT, I do not in my heart believe that we should have to let down our presence on the airwaves over The Generals Maxims. I heard Phil elude to the need for change and cheers that the fans can get behind, with DW out of the gate today.
Why would folks talking about the General, his maxims and the need for change not help our cause?
Like your friend said its one hell of an idea but does it have to come from someone at UT to be great?
I say we start breaking in the listening fan now and then the word will drift to the powers to be who make the decisions.
It seems we had a great start yesterday and then whoops, hold up untill the good ol boys at UT make a decision.
Anyone else call DW today???
This message has been edited by TnBigAl from IP address 205.188.198.182 on Aug 7, 2001 9:13 PM
I'm just going with my gut instinct on how to handle this. If the individual my contact was to talk with nixes our idea, I'm afraid it will be close to an early death. I put my e-mail in an a post above, if you'll contact me I'll be glad to reply & explain what person was going to get wind of our idea last night. I really don't want to put it on here.
The idea certainly doesn't have to come from UT to have merit, but the powers-that-be @ UT have to buy into the concept before it will go anywhere. Maximus, you ought to know how little public opinion means to the Tall Guy. If someone of influence doesn't help with our presentation, I'm afraid Tall will throw our idea aside like roadkill.
Also, I don't think me waiting until tomorrow night to re-open the dialogue with Hyams & Co will curtail our effort. I'll push this idea until somebody at UT tells me "hell no, we're not going to do it".
I may be somewhat easily dumbfounded, But once a person gets to the web TV page who of the 10 email listings do I click on to contact you?
Now I know PV who is a regular Dick Tracy would have had no problem.
Is it just me????
Is always on my handle. Just click on MAXIMAL (or TBA) and there I am.
I know what I did, I put your address up in the web address slot and thats how I got there.
In addition to being the inventor of tearaway jerseys, six-man defensive lines, and low-cut shoes, General Neyland is credited with being the first in the South to install telephones linking the pressbox roof & sideline bench; the first to utilize lighther hip pads; the first to employ a cover over the field; and the first to house his players in motels instead of hotels.
*******
Men, due to work commitments I probably will not be able to attend the "General's Maxims" meeting tonight, but I thought the above information about the General might help him be there in spirit. My suggestion is that whomever you deal with, Tony, 99, UTAD, or TALL appeal to their sense of innovation. The General laid down a path of great innovation & excellence for the ORANGE nation.
That spirit of innovation should be applied to Neyland's Stadium to harden the ORANGE Nation's will to win. The "General's Maxims" will help make Neyland's Stadium the MOST feared & hated place to play in the nation!!
