Sports analysis at USA Today

#26
#26
Gruden has played the useful idiot for our competitors during our recent coaching searches. A major distraction while while real work needed doing. If Gruden had any real affinity for UT, he would have ended any coaching discussion and not have made and kept UT a laughingstock.

Gruden was never, ever, NEVER coming here to coach. A cush 6.5 MILLION DOLLARS (plus) per year Monday Night Football job taking him into the homes of scads of NFL fans each week should have made that apparent to all but the most thick skulled of dullards. And boy-oh-boy do we ever have a bunch of those as VOLS fans.

It is possible ESPN muckity-mucks directed him not to comment to increase viewership and clicks by said dullards? We'll probably not know the answer.

Likewise Currie could have and should have ended all speculations by stating Gruden was not on the table as a potential hire.

There is blame to spread around on that 3 ring circus run by nuthouse escapees.

Gruden??! BAH! HUMBUG!
 
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#27
#27
I guess we'll see, but Currie was an AD made in the same way as Hart and Hamilton, and Fulmer in the same way as Neyland, Woodruff, and Dickey. On historiclal perspective alone, Fulmer has the better chance of getting it right.

I hope you are right. I'm not jumping out of windows because Fulmer is the AD. But those guys you mention, while great, are from a different era, and the AD position is much more involved than when fielding a good football team was all that mattered.

I do not have confidence that Fulmer is capable of navigating the legal, financial, and HR aspects of a large athletic department. Frankly I do not have confidence that he even cares about anything other than his personal legacy. That is my hangup to get over. I will be happy to be proved wrong over time!
 
#28
#28
Tennessee is getting blow back from a lot of media because the fans in their view pitched a hissy fit and got a coach unjustly associated with the whole Penn State Sandusky scandal and an AD fired. We're rocking the boat too much. Fans I guess are just supposed to shut-up and support whatever they are given by the powers that be which includes the National Media. How anyone could assert that Schiano or Leach for that matter are "exponentially" better than CJP is just hysteria. Plus that whole thing about Fulmer begs the question of he's clever enough to have orchestrated the whole Currie firing and everything else that went on tot get made AD then why is he too dumb to be a competent AD himself? In MHO the only coach that is demonstrably better than CJP that would have taken the job is Kiffin and because of what happened in 2009 that was just not going to happen. So here we are and here's hoping CJP makes them all eat crow until it runs out their ears!

The media blowback is ridiculous. There's a sworn affidavit out there linking Schiano to the Sandusky scandal (true or not), and coming off our recent title 9 settlement that same media would have pounded us for hiring that buffoon. They're likely just angry that they can't write stories about that all day long.
 
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#31
#31
Dan Wolken is just another butt hurt Vandy grad.

Once you realize that you understand why he hates on UT. His hate for UT is real and he uses it to throw the Vols under the bus as often as he can.

Dan Wolken is the national college football writer for USA Today. Anyone wanna guess the 3 teams that he has wrote and/or tweeted the most about in the past 18 months? If you guessed Bama, Clemson, and Ohio State, you are wrong. They are UT (Not nationally relevant in 10 years), Ole Miss (Not nationally relevant in nearly 50 years), and Louisville basketball. Wolken is a former Memphis Tiger High beat writer who uses his national stage to take shots at the "perceived" rivals of Memphis in lieu of writing about relevant college football issues.
 
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#32
#32
Does anyone on this earth believe Tennessee fans are bigger nutbags than Alabama, LSU, Florida, Auburn fans? This all could've been dealt with if we had a competent administration. The Gruden rumors should've been addressed by our AD; it's not Gruden's responsibility to shoot down every job he's rumored to be tied to. With any vetting at all, Schiano would've never got to an MOU. Little league AD trying to play big boy football.
 
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#33
#33
The media blowback is ridiculous. There's a sworn affidavit out there linking Schiano to the Sandusky scandal (true or not), and coming off our recent title 9 settlement that same media would have pounded us for hiring that buffoon. They're likely just angry that they can't write stories about that all day long.

This isn't pointed out enough. If Tennessee had hired him, they open themselves up for some possible program killing scandal if something else comes out. That information came out after OSU hired Schiano. No AD in the country will touch him BC if the risk associated with him BUT ruining his career will be blamed on our fans BC it's suits the narrative of the national media.
 
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#34
#34
1 - Gruden was happy to play along with our stupid fantasy of being our head coach. It just goes to show you're never to old or successful to enjoy a good troll job.

2 - Currie looks like the luckiest guy on the planet after all this. He gets 5 million to not have to be part of the most dysfunctional athletic department/fan base in college sports.

3 - I hope to dear Jesus the next time we go looking for a coach that social media plays an important role in the hire if our AD and boosters are completely incompetent.

Fixed your quote - just wish social media had stepped in when Dooley was being considered. :)


ORANGE RUNNETH THE BLOOD
 
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#35
#35
IMHO, the Gruden unicorn hurt us far more than the Schiano fiasco. It ranks right up there with the burning mattresses. It made us a national laughingstock and certifiably stupid. I wish Pruitt the best, but nobody will seriously argue that he was a hot commodity in the coaching market. If he turns out to be a bust, I pray to God that the name Gruden is never spoken again in the same sentence as Tennessee.
All the ego maniac had to do was come out and say thanks, but no thsnks. He played our fanbase shamelessly. He is dead to me!
 
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#36
#36
All the ego maniac had to do was come out and say thanks, but no thsnks. He played our fanbase shamelessly. He is dead to me!

I heard Fulmer interviewed during halftime of the TN BB game this weekend. Why want someone ask this question?

"Many Vol fans were under the impression that TN was in position to get Jon Gruden as our next coach. Was Gruden ever truly in play? If so, what went wrong? If not, why were the rumors never shot down by UT?"
 
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#37
#37
the worst hire was Currie...in every way imaginable...he should've shut down the Grumors...case closed...:)

PS. I don't give any credence to clickbait writers, other AD's, and in particular, NCAA presidents who pander to the liberal jackmasses...:no:...:moon2:
GO VOLS!
 
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#38
#38
3 - I hope to dear Jesus the next time we go looking for a coach that social media doesn't play a role in the hire.
Social media is here to stay bruddah. It is going to shape everything from UT coaching searches to presidential elections.

My union has seen changes directly attributable to social media. And to me the most frightening part is that stories without one ounce of truth will be posted, and take on a life as if it were handed down by God himself.

Case in point: How many of these sexual attack/misconduct are blatantly false? Then how many of those are ruining people's lives? It's the political weapon du jour.
 
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#39
#39
whatever payout comes from the schiano, leach debacle should be paid out of Curries' pocket. he went rogue and started all this crap. He should have been fired.. so let's press on .
 
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#40
#40
I heard Fulmer interviewed during halftime of the TN BB game this weekend. Why want someone ask this question?

"Many Vol fans were under the impression that TN was in position to get Jon Gruden as our next coach. Was Gruden ever truly in play? If so, what went wrong? If not, why were the rumors never shot down by UT?"
For the life of me, I dont understand why the administration thinks we can't handle or deserve the truth. Do they think we don't matter?
 
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#41
#41
IMHO, the Gruden unicorn hurt us far more than the Schiano fiasco. It ranks right up there with the burning mattresses. It made us a national laughingstock and certifiably stupid. I wish Pruitt the best, but nobody will seriously argue that he was a hot commodity in the coaching market. If he turns out to be a bust, I pray to God that the name Gruden is never spoken again in the same sentence as Tennessee.

Pruitt was considered for several HC openings, including MS. State and Arkansas. He may not have been the first choice for many schools, but it's pretty clear there was plenty of interest in him.
 
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#42
#42
Love a good story! This is not one! Not in the negative sense where upon he portrays Tennessees brand being damaged. This is a personal opion piece. Probably doesn't believe most of it himself. Believe he tried to add drama to where there already was enough. Question? Is UT dmaged to you personally? Not with me at all. Do you agree that Pruitt was less qualified than Schiano? JMO. GREAT HIRE! Knows a heckuva defense and how to build one. Got enough clout in the buisness to lure top rated Assistance to this so called damaged program. And they all have great reputations as recruiters and know how to coach up to compete in the SEC but for nattys as well. How in the heck? Would he know that Chip would have preferred Oregon. He doesn't know only Chip does. Wait and see the end result of year 1 of Coach Pruitts staffs recruiting! It begins and I am excited! But given the facts! I SHOULD BE AND I BELIEVE WHOLE HEARTEDLY YOU SHOULD TOO. GO BIG DAMN ORANGE!
 
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#43
#43
Honestly I wasn't a big fan of the hire and I liked Morris more for here but after seeing the staff Pruitt is putting in place, I feel like we made the right choice.
 
#44
#44
Anyone who thinks Vols fans didn't have the right to expect a home run hire this time hasn't been paying attention to the program for the past 10 years. We finally had the money and some semblance of a workable roster. We probably could've lured a big name if we'd fired Butch after the 2016 crash and burn but the continued presence of Hart made that an unsavory prospect. Then we had the bad luck of a glut of very good programs wanting to replace head coaches this cycle. We couldn't afford to give Butch another season the way things were headed.

I disagree and said so for a couple of months.

Firing Jones this season as so many on here demanded is the sole reason for the embarrassing coaching search and potentially embarrassing coaching hire.

But all you FAHR Butch boys got your wish. Now you've got to sleep with the consequences. And pray the CJP hire wasn't as big of a bust as the search that led to him.
 
#45
#45
Pruitt was considered for several HC openings, including MS. State and Arkansas. He may not have been the first choice for many schools, but it's pretty clear there was plenty of interest in him.

Can you link an article that states this? I don't remember him being on anyone's list. Well except for Fulmer's


My guess is you may find some internet "journalist" that has him listed as a possibility somewhere else but i don't remember it being reported by any reliable source the he even was asked to interview.
 
#47
#47
IMHO, the Gruden unicorn hurt us far more than the Schiano fiasco. It ranks right up there with the burning mattresses. It made us a national laughingstock and certifiably stupid. I wish Pruitt the best, but nobody will seriously argue that he was a hot commodity in the coaching market. If he turns out to be a bust, I pray to God that the name Gruden is never spoken again in the same sentence as Tennessee.

Sadly I have to agree. That we still have a leftover thread of their's which returns to the top of the football forum when one of the lonely hearts posts a flirt or their favorite places to take long walks on the beach does nothing to enhance a fan base that is serious about football in my perspective. Christian Mingle and Farmers Mingle is where they need to take that stuff these days.
 
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#48
#48
The article says nothing about one reputation being more important than the other.

. . .

If Pruitt is successful, it won't matter and all this will likely be forgotten. But if 3 years from now we find ourselves needing a new AD or a new coach, you better believe this could impact both an AD and coaching search. Long after Currie has found another job.

The real problem 3 years from now, or whenever we hire the next AD, will be if the same people responsible for hiring Currie are still doing the hiring of the next AD. Currie basically trained under Hamilton. We all know how well Hamilton did when hiring coaches and other AD duties. I think the only hire he made who had successful teams was Pearl, but of course there were integrity issues there. It is hard to understand how the people in charge of hiring the AD would not do their homework and be aware of the issues surrounding Currie and Hamilton.
 
#49
#49
Anyone who thinks Vols fans didn't have the right to expect a home run hire this time hasn't been paying attention to the program for the past 10 years. We finally had the money and some semblance of a workable roster. We probably could've lured a big name if we'd fired Butch after the 2016 crash and burn but the continued presence of Hart made that an unsavory prospect. Then we had the bad luck of a glut of very good programs wanting to replace head coaches this cycle. We couldn't afford to give Butch another season the way things were headed.
I don't think we were supposed to fire Butch after a year in which he beat Florida and Georgia...finished 9-4 with a huge bowl win in a season that everyone agrees we were devastated by injuries. Don't get me wrong. I'm glad Butch is gone and I think he totally blew a number of games, but it's hard to make a case to fire him after that kind of season.

He was fired at the right time. In hindsight..yes. If we had a crystal ball and could predict he would completely tank the 2017 team and lead us to our worst season ever than sure...we should have fired him right after the season...but the general thought was the injuries were the big cause for our late season fall.
 
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#50
#50
IMHO, the Gruden unicorn hurt us far more than the Schiano fiasco. It ranks right up there with the burning mattresses. It made us a national laughingstock and certifiably stupid. I wish Pruitt the best, but nobody will seriously argue that he was a hot commodity in the coaching market. If he turns out to be a bust, I pray to God that the name Gruden is never spoken again in the same sentence as Tennessee.

We'll see how you act when he's announced as coach. You do realize he owns property in East TN, right?
A few more failed years, then Soon!
 

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