90% of the people complaining about Blackburn not being hired did not know that little fact. I guarantee you. I would go so far as to say, 90% of the people complaining about this hire and the fact that Blackburn didn't get hired, don't know anything about David Blackburn other than his name and what they have read on here....which oddly enough, prior to today, no one ever mentioned he worked for Hamilton.
Thank you, that gives me somewhere to start.
I don't mind if it's women's basketball, I just honestly couldn't find out if he had done any hiring and firing - which is what I care most about.
He worked here for 15 years and has a degree here.
So he's not Blackburn but he's more UT than anyone else on the board.
Not saying your concerns over hiring aren't warranted, but with the Bill Snyder setup, he definitely had a bit of a unique situation going on with football during his tenure.
I'm sure firing someone who had been at the school nearly 20 years wasn't easy, so that is at least a slight plus in the tough decisions column.
The Weber hire is the most prominent one, but Weber's resume wasn't exactly terrible and KState isn't exactly a top tier program that can command premier candidates.
I DID like everything I heard from Blackburn and read about Blackburn.
I HOPE I will like everything Currie has to say and everything I have read about him in a few years. Wonder if he will find a spot for Fulmer which I think Blackburn would have.
Very disappointed that we didn't get a Tennessee guy when we had a very qualified candidate in our back yard. This really alienates the fan base. It's so discouraging being a Tennessee fan, but what can you expect? Maybe it'll work out. I just hate it for Blackburn, and honestly for Fulmer as well. I guess we'll wait and see.
Whats your definition of a UT guy and honestly, what difference does it make? Do you honestly believe a person is not capable of doing a job because they dont fit some ficitious defintion?
This email is from an employee of mine who lives in Manhattan, Kansas - and a KState Alum:
How dare you steal our wonderful AD out from under us?? I thought it was strange that he wasnt in his usual pew at church yesterday . Enjoy Mr. Currie hes a really good guy. But I suppose you knew that since hes a Volunteer
Nope...I don't believe that. But it's my opinion that we had the tailor-made candidate on the string, who was a UT/ East-TN guy....A real member of the family, and let him get away. To me it's not imperative, but it's a bonus to have someone that bleeds Orange overseeing things. There are obviously qualified individuals from outside that would be great, but I don't get the sense we were seeking one.
I know there was an effort in the past, by the academics, to squeeze all of the Orange out of the department's and to get rid of the Old Boys club, and I think we've been worse for it in the long run.
I have concerns with things I've read, and been told by a Letterman friend today about this guy's demeanor, and people skills. I hope he's great, but there are some upset Alumnus who know more about this guy than I do.
Haha. True, but most everybody tends to slam social media and the interwebs as wildly unreliable. Yet this cat is holding it up as the gospel. Anywho, just found it interesting.
We'll see about Currie, hope he's up for the job, I just have far less than zero confidence in anything any person of "leadership" in Knoxville says and does, from DiPietro on down, including Davenport until she proves otherwise.....no benefit of the doubt for any of them. Way too many years of experience dealing with the disappointment. Jmo.