The Tennessee Vols just earned a new reputation among rival fan bases that will last forever

The Tennessee Vols earned a reputation this week that's going to stick with them forever. 

On Friday, a judge in Tennessee granted a preliminary injunction that prohibits the NCAA from enforcing rules that prevent boosters/collectives from negotiating with recruits. 

The injunction is a result of the lawsuit that the states of Tennessee and Virginia filed against the NCAA, which came in response to the NCAA's inquiry into UT's NIL deals. 

For now, and this injunction is just temporary (though it's hard to see the NCAA winning this lawsuit), players can essentially be paid freely (as long as it goes through a collective). 

It's a landmark moment for the sport, which is rapidly changing before our eyes. 

Regardless of how the sport looks in the coming years, it will always be Tennessee that's remembered for being the reason that players can legally get paid to play for a program. 

And you can bet that the section of college football fans that don't want to see players get paid (those folks believe in the myth of amateurism!), will blame Tennessee for "ruining the sport" for years to come. 

Those in favor of players getting what they earn on a weekly basis for an industry that's bringing in money like they're "speedboat racers" in Miami in the mid 1980s will view Tennessee's leadership as heroes. Their fiery response is what expedited this change that's been looming over the sport for years. 

It doesn't matter which side you fall on -- it will always be Tennessee that ushered in the biggest change the sport has ever seen.