If you've watched any Tennessee basketball games this season, you probably realize that the Vols have indeed fallen from their former glory. You probably realized it during the Cuonzo Martin era too, but, like me, you probably didn't want to admit it just yet.
Either way, gone are the days of Chris Lofton and Wayne Chism.
Gone are the days of J.P. Prince and Scotty Hopson.
Gone is the orange jacket-clad Coach Bruce Pearl to Auburn, Alabama, where his up-and-coming Tigers have just recently upset John Calipari's Kentucky Wildcats.
Sound familiar? It should.
Ten years ago, Pearl's Vols stood where Pearl's Tigers now stand. They were a team on the rebound, led upward by an energetic new coach hired out of nowhere.
During his time at UT, Pearl's Vols beat teams like Kansas and Texas on a regular basis. They shot lights-out from beyond the arc, and they scratched and clawed their way to the bucket when in the paint. They played hard-nosed basketball that propelled them up and over teams that many thought to be better, at least on paper.
They beat the then-No. 1 ranked Memphis Tigers in a packed FedEx Forum, and the Big Orange faithful belted "Rocky Top" throughout the arena and onto Beale Street, intoxicated by the smell of sweet, sweet victory.
Looking back, this was the peak of the Pearl era at Tennessee.
But we all know what happened next.
Pearl was dismissed from Tennessee after lying to the NCAA. He continued to live in Knoxville for a few years, but during that time, Cuonzo Martin sat at the helm of a Vols program that only seemed to be sliding downward.
Pearl then broke the hearts of Vol fans everywhere when he left for Auburn instead of attempting a return to Tennessee, and Martin left a gloomy, rocky Knoxville for the sunny skies (and perhaps less demanding fans) of the California Golden Bears of the Pac-12 Conference.
Donnie Tyndall became "Donnie Knoxville" for one season, and recruiting violations from Southern Miss followed him to Knoxville. They would prove to be his demise, as athletic director Dave Hart ousted him rather quickly.
Now, former Texas Longhorns head coach Rick Barnes roams the sidelines on Rocky Top. Sure, there have been signs of promise, but just this past Wednesday, an unranked Vanderbilt squad came into what used to be as hostile an environment as any in the country, Thompson-Boling Arena, and clobbered the undersized Vols 88-74. The 'Dores led by 21 at halftime, and the game was never as close as the final score appeared.
This season, Tennessee fans should continue to hope for the best but expect the worst, as Barnes still has a lot of work left to do before he too can drive the Volunteer faithful into a frenzy.
Tennessee's court may be nicknamed "The Summitt," but Barnes will be the first to admit that his Volunteers sit at the foot of a very long climb back to the top.
