Andy Staples Question in Broader Article

#26
#26
He took a shot with a Saban disciple who had the same sort of football philosophy that he did. Control the clock, rely on the running game and have a tough defense. How many other schools or pro teams have tried to hire off of the Saban or Belichick coaching tree? How many have been successful? A lot less than have failed. Not only did our hire fail, he failed spectacularly with the way he broke the rules. That’s the most Tennessee thing ever. I get what Fulmer did, I know he loves Tennessee, but he failed and in a weird way I’m glad Pruitt failed and we have the house cleaned. We needed a new identity and fresh start . White and Heupel certainly have done that so far.
I agree 100% I wish it would of worked out it just didn't.
 
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#28
#28
No, I think he's trying to say it's totally worth it, though.

And he might even be implying that the UT administration might not have been so open and proactive about it if there hadn't been such a strong upside. But I don't think that's true, and I don't think he really meant to say that.
That’s exactly his point and why I said there’s his whole article (on The Athletic).
 
#29
#29
He just made what should have been a solid hire, but Pruitt was less equipped in his heart to be a head coach. The vetting was inadequate, but our honest list of men who would take the job and were suitable was extremely short when we got outmaneuvered for Mullen.

Beg to differ, but Pruitt was less qualified in his head.
 
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#31
#31
Is he accusing Tennessee of setting Pruitt up to get rid of him?
We are in such a better space now w/ new AD and seemingly competent coach w/ much improved culture...but, if Pruitt kept and improved his winning trajectory from S2 to S3, I wonder how aggressive we would have been with our transparency...still doesn't change the facts though.
 
#32
#32
Is he accusing Tennessee of setting Pruitt up to get rid of him?

The tone of the article is: now that we know the actual charges, was the gamble worth it for Tennessee. No real setup conspiracy. His general thoughts are that, yes, it looks like a bold move will payoff. He also insinuates these things are minor (which they are) and would never have been reported had Pruitt been winning instead of leading a dumpster fire.

My view of it is, had Pruitt been handing out Dodge Chargers and six figure McDonald's bags, then it would have been way riskier to call up the NCAA. Now that we know it was brunch, rent deposits, and some spa visits? You take that shot by reporting him and dealing with the fallout 10 out of 10 times.
 
#33
#33
If you could admit to paying $59,598 in hotel charges, nail salon visits and brunches that your organization wasn’t supposed to pay for so your organization might clear out a failing administration and save as much as $12.6 million on the back end, would you do it?

Not only yes, but hell yes.
 
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#34
#34
We are in such a better space now w/ new AD and seemingly competent coach w/ much improved culture...but, if Pruitt kept and improved his winning trajectory from S2 to S3, I wonder how aggressive we would have been with our transparency...still doesn't change the facts though.

If he’d won 8 or 9 games in 2020(all SEC schedule), he’d be on a 10 yr deal like Smart. But he didn’t and he ain’t.
 
#35
#35
The entire comedy of errors prior to Plowman/Boyd/White/Heupel all being hired in the last 3 years was due to poor leadership at the top. We've had weak chancellors (Jimmy Cheek anyone), most presidents since Joe Johnson left in 1999 (Randy Boyd is the 7th president since) and a string of athletic directors that cumulatively ran the athletics department in the ground via a seemingly endless string of controversial moves that have hurt the university. Hamilton and the Fulmer firing/Kiffin leaving fiasco, Dave Hart did hire Rick Barnes but he got UT in the Title IX lawsuit and disrespected Pat Summit. John Currie did hire Tony Vitello, but weak leadership from above did him as well as the subsequent hires made for AD and head football coach.

I hope that we've finally got strong leadership up and down the ladder for a change. It's been a while.
 
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#36
#36
Yeah...completely insane. Fulmer wanted to bring football back to national prominence more than anything because that would be the ultimate proof (to him) that they should've never fired him. There's no way he wanted to tank the program.
Sabotage is easier to stomach then the reality that we have just been massively incompetent for two decades
 
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#37
#37
A thought struck me yesterday, and I hate that a thought such as this would run through my moronic brain; Tennessee fired Fulmer ten years after winning a National Championship, and because of an uprising among fans, winds up as athletics director, hires an assistant coach from Saban's tree, and does so knowing the coach is not a capable coach, with a little pay back in mind for the U of T. Crazy, ain't it?

Not really. Before that happened, I had seen doing that brought up here plenty of times. And it had the support of many here. Not from me ever, but there were plenty who thought bringing back Phil had merit. That was the point that I pretty much bailed out until the results came in.

And I am glad they finally got it outta their system. Most at least. No it is not crazy to me. I am kinda glad it was done, or else it would keep being suggested until well after Phil's funeral. Now? I can go to a crowded Waffle House for breakfast, and not have to hear it discussed anymore. So for whoever it was that made it happen? My stomach thanks you.
 
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#38
#38
Yeah...completely insane. Fulmer wanted to bring football back to national prominence more than anything because that would be the ultimate proof (to him) that they should've never fired him. There's no way he wanted to tank the program.

No way he WANTED to? I completely agree. However? What happened under his watch? National prominence? Or did we get plenty of tanks?

On the upside? If Vandy ever decides they want to demolish their little High Scool stadium? We can use those tanks to knock it down for them. Seems a neighborly thing to do.
 
#39
#39
No way he WANTED to? I completely agree. However? What happened under his watch? National prominence? Or did we get plenty of tanks?

On the upside? If Vandy ever decides they want to demolish their little High Scool stadium? We can use those tanks to knock it down for them. Seems a neighborly thing to do.
Do you think I was taking up for him or something? He certainly failed, no question about it. We were discussing his motives and I don't think they were to destroy the program.
 
#40
#40
If you could admit to paying $59,598 in hotel charges, nail salon visits and brunches that your organization wasn’t supposed to pay for so your organization might clear out a failing administration and save as much as $12.6 million on the back end, would you do it?
We know for certain that the costs of doing nothing would have been much greater than $12.6 million.
 
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#42
#42
Not really. Before that happened, I had seen doing that brought up here plenty of times. And it had the support of many here. Not from me ever, but there were plenty who thought bringing back Phil had merit. That was the point that I pretty much bailed out until the results came in.

And I am glad they finally got it outta their system. Most at least. No it is not crazy to me. I am kinda glad it was done, or else it would keep being suggested until well after Phil's funeral. Now? I can go to a crowded Waffle House for breakfast, and not have to hear it discussed anymore. So for whoever it was that made it happen? My stomach thanks you.
I was for the hire initially, but that began to wane after the last season Pruitt was the coach.
 

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