How does Cuonzo Martin's departure affect the football program?

#1
TNinOR

TNinOR

Blood = Orange HEX F77F00
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#1
Vol senoir Jordan McRae probably summed it up best: "Can't treat people any kind of way and expect good in return."

Toché, sir.

I, too, to my chagrin, jumped on the Bruce Pearl-petition bandwagon. When there is no doubt that Cuonzo Martin (and especially the basketball team) deserved our full support as long as he was our coach, or at least until the season ended and we could honorably begin to discuss a replacement.

Shenanigans like the Pearl petition and the Vol Air Force withdrawal were simply shameful and unacceptable. They make me think of the raucous locals in the movie "Hoosiers" who wanted Gene Hackman's head on a platter, but, despite this, he later leads his small-town high school team to an improbable Indiana state championship. The worse part, however, is that they have given our gleeful enemies much ammunition.

Here are some of the headlines:

"Cuonzo Martin Moves Up In The World By Leaving Tennessee For California Basketball"

"Cuonzo Martin flees hostile Tennessee"

"Cuonzo Martin's exit gives UT what it deserves"

"Cuonzo Martin Bolts Ungrateful Tennessee For Cal"

But the worst by far, in my opinion, was one entitled: "Cuonzo Martin’s departure highlights Tennessee's immense level of dysfunction," by Pat Forde at Yahoo Sports.

He says:

"It is time to test the Tennessee River water that flows past Knoxville. Test it for toxic levels of dysfunction. There is something in the water, or the soil – or, most likely, the people – at the University of Tennessee that has turned the athletic department into a transient, turmoil-ridden place. . . .

Absolutely nothing is rock solid on Rocky Top these days. It is high time for a reality check. . .

The bigger question is what direction Tennessee now turns. This is a school leaking prestige and reeking of unrealistic entitlement.

A delusional fan base believed it was going to land Jon Gruden as its football coach in 2012. Instead it wound up being snubbed by Louisville coach Charlie Strong. Tennessee ended up with a good hire in Butch Jones, but you would have thought the school was settling for the guy at Lenoir-Rhyne by the reaction.

If the same deluded thought process holds, Vols fans will be expecting Shaka Smart to crawl to Knoxville any minute. Or Gregg Marshall to take a pay cut to coach the Vols."

(end quote)

I hope that our basketball program lands on its feet despite all of this negativity and that we, as Vol fans, can learn and grow from this experience and hopefully take the high road in the future. But my immediate concern is how all of this is going to affect the football program -- and especially this year's recruiting effort. We are currently high on the list for several big-name recruits. Is this going to be enough to discourage any of them from coming here?
 
#3
#3
Biopsyman said:
The last time I checked these recruits were going to play for Butch Jones....
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They are going to play for Butch Jones AND the University of Tennessee, and we are University of Tennessee fans. These articles are questioning Vol fans and the leadership of the whole UT athletics department. If you think the potential fallout is limited to just the basketball program, you are sadly mistaken.
 
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#5
#5
TNinOR said:
They are going to play for Butch Jones AND the University of Tennessee, and we are University of Tennessee fans. These articles are questioning Vol fans and the leadership of the whole UT athletics department. If you think the potential fallout is limited to just the basketball program, you are sadly mistaken.
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If that logic holds, why doesn't DUKE, KY and UCONN kill it in football?
 
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#6
#6
Rather than understanding and then communicating the very unique dynamics that was a part of/caused Cuonzo's departure, Forde apparently took the lazy approach and cast stones via a 30,000 ft view. I couldn't give 2 Shiites about his or other national writers' opinions and I shouldn't...it'll have zero impact on the football program and very little on the basketball team as well.
 
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#8
#8
This is not going to affect anything with the football program as we have a good/great coach and recruiter who has his player bought into the school fully. I think the problem with Martin was that he didn't bring people along with him.
 
#9
#9
Some fans make the University as a whole look bad. From the twitter stalkers to the petition starters. As UT, we are better than that.
 
#11
#11
Biopsyman said:
If that logic holds, why doesn't DUKE, KY and UCONN kill it in football?
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Not sure I follow. Elaboration? Are you implying that Tennessee basketball doesn't matter and that, therefore, negative things happening there won't affect the football program?

Regardless, the criticism contained in these articles is directed at the whole Vol-culture, including and especially football (because that is what, I believe, our enemies never want to see rise again).
 
#12
#12
It will help... If we hire a better than average coach to replace him. Because Coach Martin was average at best.
 
#13
#13
It did make me wonder if butch would leave here for michigan if he doesn't have us a sec title and a national within 7 yrs. time.
 
#14
#14
Tennessee is a football school. Our AD will live and die by the football program. I understand your concern, but a basketball coach leaving "due to hostility" will only affect football at schools that are predominantly basketball (as already said, Duke, UNC, etc) because that sport is the core of their reputation.

UNC is basketball. Any drama with the basketball team is seen in the eyes of the public as drama with the entire university. Drama with the football program is irrelevant.

Georgia is a football school. Drama with the football team is seen as drama with the entire university. Drama with the basketball program is irrelevant.

Tennessee is another football school, similar to Georgia. What happens with our basketball program will have zero effect on the reputation of the entire university, however, if something negative happens with football it could very well affect the entire reputation of the AD, which would affect the basketball program.
 
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#15
#15
KBVol said:
. . .Forde apparently took the lazy approach and cast stones via a 30,000 ft view. I couldn't give 2 Shiites about his or other national writers' opinions.
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I wholeheartedly agree. But that's not my question. Are some of these current big-name football recruits, many of whom know little about Vol-Nation, potentially going to give "2 Shiites"? That's my question. And I hope it IS more about Butch Jones and their buying into his system, as others have stated. If so, I find that reassuring.
 
#16
#16
TNinOR said:
I wholeheartedly agree. But that's not my question. Are some of these current big-name football recruits, many of whom know little about Vol-Nation, potentially going to give "2 Shiites"? That's my question. And I hope it IS more about Butch Jones and their buying into his system, as others have stated. If so, I find that reassuring.
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My last sentence was that it'll have zero impact on the football program. It was in today's news cycle and the media will be on to their next "drive by shooting" tomorrow. I think recruits will come to UT because of the great coaching staff and recruiters we have, our great tradition and our world-class facilities. A basketball coach leaving because he felt he got a raw deal from the fans isn't going to change that IMO.
 
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#17
#17
chatt-townVOL said:
Tennessee is a football school. Our AD will live and die by the football program. I understand your concern, but a basketball coach leaving "due to hostility" will only affect football at schools that are predominantly basketball (as already said, Duke, UNC, etc) because that sport is the core of their reputation.

UNC is basketball. Any drama with the basketball team is seen in the eyes of the public as drama with the entire university. Drama with the football program is irrelevant.

Georgia is a football school. Drama with the football team is seen as drama with the entire university. Drama with the basketball program is irrelevant.

Tennessee is another football school, similar to Georgia. What happens with our basketball program will have zero effect on the reputation of the entire university, however, if something negative happens with football it could very well affect the entire reputation of the AD, which would affect the basketball program.
Click to expand...

Yes
 
#18
#18
TNinOR said:
Not sure I follow. Elaboration? Are you implying that Tennessee basketball doesn't matter and that, therefore, negative things happening there won't affect the football program?

Regardless, the criticism contained in these articles is directed at the whole Vol-culture, including and especially football (because that is what, I believe, our enemies never want to see rise again).
Click to expand...

Jalen Hurd did not come to UT because of Conzo Martin... Remember the Wade Houston years?, Pretty good football
 
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#19
#19
TNinOR said:
They are going to play for Butch Jones AND the University of Tennessee, and we are University of Tennessee fans. These articles are questioning Vol fans and the leadership of the whole UT athletics department. If you think the potential fallout is limited to just the basketball program, you are sadly mistaken.
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In the hay day of UT football, our basketball program was awful, comparing it to the past few years.

You're reaching.
 
#23
#23
KBVol said:
Rather than understanding and then communicating the very unique dynamics that was a part of/caused Cuonzo's departure, Forde apparently took the lazy approach and cast stones via a 30,000 ft view. I couldn't give 2 Shiites about his or other national writers' opinions and I shouldn't...it'll have zero impact on the football program and very little on the basketball team as well.
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Huh. Didn't u use some random writers opinion piece in an argument with me on Dooley?? This one doesn't meet ur agenda does it bud??

I for one am glad Forde wrote this piece cause hopefully this fan base will finally realize how crazy it is, and how it hurts UT. I've been saying it for yrs but all people like u could do is twist it into me being a Dooley lover for more "likes".
Posted via VolNation Mobile
 
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#24
#24
Probably going to make it harder for the football players to get b-ball tickets when we get a new coach and generate new enthusiasm.
 
#25
#25
TNinOR said:
They are going to play for Butch Jones AND the University of Tennessee, and we are University of Tennessee fans. These articles are questioning Vol fans and the leadership of the whole UT athletics department. If you think the potential fallout is limited to just the basketball program, you are sadly mistaken.
Click to expand...

Bet if butch and co win 8. No one with give two f***s about former BBall coach or the headlines
 
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