Watching the World Series play out to its inevitable conclusion – or as Yankees radio broadcaster John Sterling screams in what has to be one of the most dreadful calls in modern sports history, “Yankees Win, THHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHE Yankees Win” – I couldn’t help but notice more than a few Twins fans I work alongside visibly and audibly annoyed.

The lament was unanimous:  The Yankees buy championships.  Perhaps, though if that was indeed the case why don’t they walk off with the trophy every November?  Or October, in the rare year fans don’t need to watch baseball drag into biting wind chills and early Christmas shopping.

But no sooner do those Twins fans – and really, fans from so many franchises outside of Fenway Park and Dodger Stadium – cry foul, citing baseball financial reality suggests the little guy in market #16 has no chance against the big, bad team from the Bronx, a funny thing happens.  They want their team to spend money, too.

One imagines they wouldn’t have any problem with massive contracts and player salaries if it brought a few more World Series wins to the Twin Cities… or Pittsburgh, Cleveland or Denver.

It’s the hypocrisy of being a sports fan:  You moan and groan about the other guy but if you could do things like the other guy and win a bit more, well, shhh… don’t say anything but that would be just fine, thank you.

It’s the same with college sports.

Down in Knoxville, Tennessee, a healthy segment of Vols fans screamed about Phillip Fulmer for the better part of the past 10 years.  Rival coaches would make him the butt of jokes, but he would never respond.  Nor would his Tennessee teams.  Often times you’d get the idea a game against Florida was over before it started.  Gators teams expected to win; Fulmer’s Vols hoped to win.  It was a difference that defined Steve Spurrier and Urban Meyer from Phillip Fulmer.

And those differences extended into the kinds of comments, or indirect comments with implied meanings, that came out of Camps Spurrier and Meyer.

Fans hungered for Fulmer to channel the string of barbs into his players breathing fire and eating glass.  But that simply wasn’t Fulmer’s way.  He’d just look into a camera and, doing his best Dennis Green from Vikings days past, take the high road.  Unfortunately for him, the high road ultimately was a dead end.

Now the Vols are led by a young, agressive, in your face coach named Lane Kiffin.  Kiffin, out of the Pete Carroll school of coaching, believes in empowering his players with the belief they can beat anyone, at anytime, on any field.  He also believes, one assumes, that no good insult, or perceived lack of respect, will ever go unanswered. 

Take this weekend’s game in Neyland Stadium versus Memphis.

Prior to the season, Memphis coach Tommy West made an unusual joke at the expense of Lane Kiffin that seemed to question the intelligence level of the Vols coach.  Whether or not it was just a coach having a little fun, Tennessee players (and perhaps Kiffin as well) didn’t forget.  What subsequently transpired on the field was a UT team bent on the utter destruction of  Memphis.  Final score:  Tennessee 56, Memphis 28.  And it wasn’t that close, as evidenced by the 42-7 halftime lead for the Vols.

But some Vols fans seem a bit unnerved by Kiffin calling onsides kicks and going for it on 4th downs in their own territory while already leading in the game - in essence, being the anti-Fulmer.  Kiffin’s gameplan appeared to have no regard for the feelings of Memphis players, coaches or fans. 

Oh well.

Many of the same Vols fans who would tell me they wish UT had a Spurrier or Meyer on the sideline, beating down an opponent the way the Vols devastated Memphis, were now saying “we didn’t show a lot of class out there.”  Some beg to differ.

If the Tennessee Volunteers football program has any desire to catch and pass Florida, Alabama and LSU not to mention USC, Texas, Ohio State and a good-sized handful of others, it needs someone at the helm unafraid to step on the gas, and the throats of opponents, when needed. 

For far too many years, Tennessee has been a kind and gentle conference neighbor; they come to their opponent’s town, play the role of outstanding house guest and leave quietly doing little to make an impression.  One imagines the team even helped clean the stadium before they left.

Similarly, the Vols have been wonderful hosts for visiting teams.  They would offer them the run of Neyland Stadium giving them whatever they desired to ensure a pleasant, and victorious, stay. 

Those days appear to be over.  Incredibly, some Vols fans simply aren’t happy about this reality. 

A fair number of Vols fans have been lulled into the idea that football is Little House on the Prairie in pads and helmets.  Be nice, talk nice, play nice and don’t upset the neighborhood.

For them I would suggest either watching highlight DVD’s of the previous 10 seasons of Tennessee football or adopt a new team. 

It’ll be far less stressful and there won’t be any fear of enduring growing pains along a new path to a championship program.

Photo credit Garrett Crawford