reaperkyle
Orange Blooded
- Joined
- Jan 19, 2009
- Messages
- 99
- Likes
- 361
It's awesome that you go and support your daughter. I truly wish more parents were as committed.
I love Tennessee football! I guess the only thing I can say after having discussions with other season ticket holders and donators to the athletic department (I have been for 16 years, which I will drop next year), is that there's a difference between blind support and enabling when it comes to Tennessee athletics. It's not our kids we're supporting. To the University, it's a business.
Many believe, and rightfully so, that the only way to instigate change in concept and theory is to hit them where it hurts...their pocketbook. I don't blame Pruitt for the mess we're in. If you offered me millions to coach the team, I would, too. I also don't blame Jones or the others before him. Pruitt, as a Head Coach, has been here a year and a half. This is his team now and they have regressed under his stead. Some of the players who give the most effort (Jennings, Trey Smith, for example), weren't Pruitt's recruits. You can't stereotype players based on who recruited them. There are coaches who get more from less, coaches who get the level of their talent, and coaches who get less from more. Who knows what Pruitt is. He has no experience as a Head Coach. I can't try to hear that other SEC coaches have said we are heading in the right direction with our coaching either. They said the same thing when Dooley was hired. Why would they say otherwise?
If you have a program that is in such dire need of a re-build, why do you hire someone with zero experience not only as a D1 Head Coach, but also with re-building a program? The argument that it was because no other proven HC would take the job is simply not true. Leach may not be everyone's favorite, but he's a proven winning head coach in D1 and he's re-built both Texas Tech and WSU into top 25 programs. He's not the only one that was interested.
The University and athletic department have gone cheap on each of the last several HC hires. In the end, we are paying more than anyone else for a HC because we are paying for numerous missed dart throw coaches at the same time as our current coach. Do I hope Pruitt wins? YES! That said, he was a dart throw hire, not a proven commodity. Also, with Fulmer there, there's zero chance that Pruitt will be fired this year. Doing so, would be admitting he was wrong, because Pruitt was HIS hire. Doesn't matter that we're looking at 2-10, 3-9 this season after the hopes of a bowl.
Continuing to financially support the University in this regard (from a business perspective), is an endorsement that you support the way they are managing the product. It's like continuing to pay for your adult kids' bad decisions. I can't do that anymore until I see changes. Will I watch every game on my couch next season? Yes!
I know several people very close to the department (and no, I'm not claiming to have more ties than anyone else). There's the possibility and much talk that Fulmer is threatened by someone who may be a bigger name or someone he can't completely control, so he will only hire someone who needs to be mentored by him, so he gets a portion of the credit when there's success. If that is true, it may take more than one failed coach under his watch for the real change that needs to take place is made.
If you think things are looking up and heading the right direction, just look at the product. We are not competitive on the field. The coaches lost the team with a few winnable games left last year that kept us from a bowl. We are 1-4 this year with one of the worse losses in Tennessee history on opening day.
I'll never bash a player that wears orange, but the administration has lost my support. I won't continue to throw money at their bad decisions.
I love Tennessee football! I guess the only thing I can say after having discussions with other season ticket holders and donators to the athletic department (I have been for 16 years, which I will drop next year), is that there's a difference between blind support and enabling when it comes to Tennessee athletics. It's not our kids we're supporting. To the University, it's a business.
Many believe, and rightfully so, that the only way to instigate change in concept and theory is to hit them where it hurts...their pocketbook. I don't blame Pruitt for the mess we're in. If you offered me millions to coach the team, I would, too. I also don't blame Jones or the others before him. Pruitt, as a Head Coach, has been here a year and a half. This is his team now and they have regressed under his stead. Some of the players who give the most effort (Jennings, Trey Smith, for example), weren't Pruitt's recruits. You can't stereotype players based on who recruited them. There are coaches who get more from less, coaches who get the level of their talent, and coaches who get less from more. Who knows what Pruitt is. He has no experience as a Head Coach. I can't try to hear that other SEC coaches have said we are heading in the right direction with our coaching either. They said the same thing when Dooley was hired. Why would they say otherwise?
If you have a program that is in such dire need of a re-build, why do you hire someone with zero experience not only as a D1 Head Coach, but also with re-building a program? The argument that it was because no other proven HC would take the job is simply not true. Leach may not be everyone's favorite, but he's a proven winning head coach in D1 and he's re-built both Texas Tech and WSU into top 25 programs. He's not the only one that was interested.
The University and athletic department have gone cheap on each of the last several HC hires. In the end, we are paying more than anyone else for a HC because we are paying for numerous missed dart throw coaches at the same time as our current coach. Do I hope Pruitt wins? YES! That said, he was a dart throw hire, not a proven commodity. Also, with Fulmer there, there's zero chance that Pruitt will be fired this year. Doing so, would be admitting he was wrong, because Pruitt was HIS hire. Doesn't matter that we're looking at 2-10, 3-9 this season after the hopes of a bowl.
Continuing to financially support the University in this regard (from a business perspective), is an endorsement that you support the way they are managing the product. It's like continuing to pay for your adult kids' bad decisions. I can't do that anymore until I see changes. Will I watch every game on my couch next season? Yes!
I know several people very close to the department (and no, I'm not claiming to have more ties than anyone else). There's the possibility and much talk that Fulmer is threatened by someone who may be a bigger name or someone he can't completely control, so he will only hire someone who needs to be mentored by him, so he gets a portion of the credit when there's success. If that is true, it may take more than one failed coach under his watch for the real change that needs to take place is made.
If you think things are looking up and heading the right direction, just look at the product. We are not competitive on the field. The coaches lost the team with a few winnable games left last year that kept us from a bowl. We are 1-4 this year with one of the worse losses in Tennessee history on opening day.
I'll never bash a player that wears orange, but the administration has lost my support. I won't continue to throw money at their bad decisions.
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