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Following a week of criticism from so-called “media experts and fans”, Coach Phillip Fulmer sent a crystal clear message to the 99,000 strong (Memo to those 6000 no-show quitters: please turn-in your tickets), on-hand Saturday night at Neyland Stadium, they are not the “boss” of him.

Heading into their game against highly touted non-conference foe Northern Illinois, the original “fly in the BCS ointment” program, the Vols were in the midst of a two game SEC losing streak. The Vols had recently suffered heartbreaking close losses to Auburn and Florida. Throughout the week preparing for visiting Northern Illinois, Coach Fulmer had become the focus by some of the local and national media talking heads, as deficient in his ability to motivate his team to compete, and come from behind, in any quarter of a close game. In reality these personal attacks failed as the Battle Captain skillfully accepted the critics’ attacks; shifting the media focus off of his young quarterback and back on his broad shoulders.

Coach Fulmer after reading and hearing the not so favorable comments from the  liberal left-wing Knoxville and Chattanooga sports media/football message boards , he doggedly set a course  to prove these hacks and dullards wrong.  His plan was to show the football world that entering the second half and going toe-to-toe at home against a talented NIU team, nothing NOTHING would derail this team of destiny.

Take that Rob Lewis and Brent Hubbs

In the first half of the game, the Battle Captain masterfully employed an Arian Foster-like red zone approach in dealing with the underrated NIU gridders. In other words, he gave the illusion that he was indecisive, fragile and delicate as he figurtatively ran for the corner when the middle of the field was  wide open. During the first two quarters of play, Fulmer’s strategy shocked the confused Big Orange Nation.  He allowed NIU to control the clock and the tempo of the game, and all the while the Vols committed numerous penalties: 18 minutes and change for Northern Illinois and 11 minutes and change for the Vols…95 yards total offense for Northern Illinois and 79 for us…0 – 0 penalties for Northern Illinois and 6 – 46 for the Vols.

Heading into the locker room at halftime Fulmer masterfully had the Vols tied with the original “fly in the BCS ointment” NIU Huskies, as he had the Nick Staphens aka the Texas Gunslinger (he was a higher rated QB than Fat Matt Stafford) take a knee in the final 31 seconds remaining in the first half to solidify the misleading 3-3 score. Sure the confused fans were upset, who wouldn’t be upset? They booed the team, but the football-ignorant Big Orange Nation fanbase was but soft putty in the savvy Battle Captain’s oversized bear-claw hands.

Following a patented fiery halftime Fulmer motivational speech (Think: Win one for the Gipper), the Vols came out to score (later in the half) on vertical Touchdown Strike by the Texas Gunslinger. With 30 seconds left in the game the Vols never looked back as they cruised to a smooth win beating the scrappy BCS Busting NIU by a final 13-9.

To all of the haters and detractors, it is clear from this contest that Coach Fulmer is in charge of this football team and program. Vols fans can sleep well tonight secure in the knowledge that they have a competent field general that can will his team to a victory over a highly touted MAC ball club.

Atlanta, engage.