Article:Hamilton Interview on Fulmer

#1
orange+white=heaven

orange+white=heaven

VN GURU
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#1
On Sunday, The TFP's Mark Weidmer's column was about a conversation with AD Mike Hamilton on the heat that folowed 59-20....

The e-mails began arriving at University of Tennessee athletic director Mike Hamilton’s office shortly after the Vols’ 59-20 loss at Florida eight days ago.
“I think there were 232 the first 72 hours,” said Hamilton on Saturday, roughly an hour before the Big Orange kicked it off against Arkansas State. “It’s fair to say the large majority were critical of our football program.”
Hamilton has seen such large-scale frustration once before during his four-plus years on the job, and it wasn’t the 5-6 season of 2005, which just also happens to be head coach Phillip Fulmer’s only losing record among his 14 completed seasons on the job.
“In 2003 I think we lost to Auburn and Georgia back-toback,” said Hamilton. “That’s probably the only time I’ve heard this much frustration.”
Hamilton will quickly tell you he filters out much of the fan unrest by not listening to talk radio or reading every inch of the sports page.
“It’s not that I try not to pay attention it,” he said. “I just don’t have the time.”
To illustrate that point, Hamilton reeled off his schedule this past week after returning from the Florida loss.
“I was in St. Louis on Monday,” he recalled. “I was in Denver on Tuesday, Knoxville on Wednesday, Virginia on Thursday and Washington, D.C., on Friday. And I’ll be in Dallas on Sunday (today) for an athletic director’s meeting.”
But e-mails weren’t the only voices of dissatisfaction with Tennessee’s 1-2 record prior to the start of the Arkansas State game.
“It’s pretty sad, really,” said Jim Garland, a Knoxville native and UT season ticket holder since 1970. “Phillip Fulmer won us a national championship and I hate to say he should be fired, but there definitely need to be some changes. I thought this was supposed to be the year the defense got better, but we can’t stop anybody.”
Carl Pruett of Cookeville went a step further. “I think it’s time to change the whole staff,” he said. “Two years ago (the 5-6 season) should have been proof to all of us that we’re on a downhill slide.”
This is not to say everyone outside Neyland was ready to start over from scratch. Robert C. of Morristown (“I don’t give my full name to reporters,” he said) said of Fulmer, “He’s OK. They all lose games now and then. Coach Fulmer’s won a lot of games here, and he will again if they leave him alone.”
Hamilton won’t say exactly what conversations took place with his head football coach this week.
“I have a regularly scheduled meeting with Coach Fulmer every week,” said Hamilton. “I have one with Coach (Bruce) Pearl, too. We talk about where the program’s going, if there’s something I can do to help. This week was no different than any other week.”
Yet after quickly sifting through nearly 300 mostlyangry e-mails since the Florida loss, Hamilton also wants the Big Orange Nation to understand he feels their pain.
“Let’s call a spade a spade,” he said. “I know the fans are disappointed. I’m disappointed we didn’t play better at Florida. But we’ve still got nine games to go (eight after Saturday night). There’s a lot of football still to be played.”
For Fulmer’s future at UT to be a long one, a lot of football that needs to be played well.
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#6
#6
Unfortunately there are too many people like Robert C. out there who really think Fulmer can get this program back up again.
 
#7
#7
“It’s not that I try not to pay attention it,” he said. “I just don’t have the time.”

Wow, that shows how much our opinion means. You guys might as well not email anymore because you can see just how well its received. He maybe a busy man, but that statement just rubs me the wrong way from a fan's standpoint.
 
#8
#8
g8terh8ter_eric said:
“It’s not that I try not to pay attention it,” he said. “I just don’t have the time.”

Wow, that shows how much our opinion means. You guys might as well not email anymore because you can see just how well its received. He maybe a busy man, but that statement just rubs me the wrong way from a fan's standpoint.
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Again, he's just being political. If they keep coming, he'll get the message. Do you really want him to throw Fulmer under the bus right now?
 
#9
#9
volfanbill said:
Again, he's just being political. If they keep coming, he'll get the message. Do you really want him to throw Fulmer under the bus right now?
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He could have said anything but the "I just don't have the time", and I would have been OK with it. Its good to know just how important we are in fitting in the the AD's schedule who's salary is determined on how many of us show up on campus to watch our heralded school compete in sports.
 
#10
#10
g8terh8ter_eric said:
He could have said anything but the "I just don't have the time", and I would have been OK with it. Its good to know just how important we are in fitting in the the AD's schedule who's salary is determined on how many of us show up on campus to watch our heralded school compete in sports.
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It's also a tough spot to get over 300 angry e-mails, people trying to reach you by phone, when you've got a full slate for the week and reporters hounding you every moment wanting to know the status of TCHFCATUTK. He says one slightly bad thing to one reporter and everyone is all over him. This is the same guy that brought in Bruce and finally sent Delmonico home. Give him a chance. He's not part of the good ole boy system that has dominated UT football since before I was born.
 
#11
#11
g8terh8ter_eric said:
He could have said anything but the "I just don't have the time", and I would have been OK with it. Its good to know just how important we are in fitting in the the AD's schedule who's salary is determined on how many of us show up on campus to watch our heralded school compete in sports.
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I dont have the time???? If a CEO would tell his shareholders that what do you think would happen??? UNREAL!!!
 
#12
#12
volfanbill said:
It's also a tough spot to get over 300 angry e-mails, people trying to reach you by phone, when you've got a full slate for the week and reporters hounding you every moment wanting to know the status of TCHFCATUTK. He says one slightly bad thing to one reporter and everyone is all over him. This is the same guy that brought in Bruce and finally sent Delmonico home. Give him a chance. He's not part of the good ole boy system that has dominated UT football since before I was born.
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I would almost guarantee you there were over 2,000-4,000 in the first 4 days.

Actually he is for the most part. Hamilton will probably cry when he announces he is firing Fulmer if it comes to that.
 
#13
#13
In season's past, 3 games in, Hambone would have voiced unequivocal support for Fulmer and his staff. I did not see that in the article.
 
#15
#15
He doesn't listen to talk radio or read every inch of the paper. That is what he doesn't have time for. Don't try to make it more than it is.
 
#16
#16
g8terh8ter_eric said:
I would almost guarantee you there were over 2,000-4,000 in the first 4 days.

Actually he is for the most part. Hamilton will probably cry when he announces he is firing Fulmer if it comes to that.
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You're insane. Hamilton is in no way part of the TN good ole boy system. You don't dog a coach during the season no matter what. Yeah it will be hard to make Fulmer step down. Which by the way, Fulmer steps down and most likely gets his buy out. The man has earned too much respect, even from me to get tossed like that. This is a guy that until a few years ago led the NCAA in winning pct, brought us a perfect season with a national title, and got our hopes this high. But Hamilton is a business man first and will do what is best for his program.
 
#17
#17
VolBeef88 said:
He doesn't listen to talk radio or read every inch of the paper. That is what he doesn't have time for. Don't try to make it more than it is.
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exactly. 95% of all our major AD's will tell you the same thing
 
#18
#18
volfanbill said:
You're insane. Hamilton is in no way part of the TN good ole boy system. You don't dog a coach during the season no matter what. Yeah it will be hard to make Fulmer step down. Which by the way, Fulmer steps down and most likely gets his buy out. The man has earned too much respect, even from me to get tossed like that. This is a guy that until a few years ago led the NCAA in winning pct, brought us a perfect season with a national title, and got our hopes this high. But Hamilton is a business man first and will do what is best for his program.
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Very well said, Bill.
 
#20
#20
hamilton is level headed and doing his job like he should. if he fires fulmer, all of us that hate him will be happy, all those who love fulmer will know that hamilton let it all play out and gave fulmer the rightful chance to get it done with what he has. and that is what hamilton is probably weighing this whole thing on, has:
fulmer made any changes and improvements to rectify the 2005 bust, "apparition to fulmer". have the changes been made and are they getting the best out of what they have ot work with.....i guess the board can chew that to pieces, but hamilton at least knows the sentiment of an unsettled VolNation.
 
#21
#21
g8terh8ter_eric said:
“It’s not that I try not to pay attention it,” he said. “I just don’t have the time.”

Wow, that shows how much our opinion means. You guys might as well not email anymore because you can see just how well its received. He maybe a busy man, but that statement just rubs me the wrong way from a fan's standpoint.
Click to expand...

I think he was saying that he doesn't go out of his way to avoid local sports radio and sports pages, he just doesn't have the time to read the local sports section or listen to local sports radio. The article didn't say that he was referring to fans' emails.
 
#23
#23
VOLnFLORIDA said:
your avatar reminds me of a principal from the fourth grade....mr raynes, prince from hell...is that a mugshot
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that would be Bo Pelini. My choice (however much of a longshot it is) to bring to Rocky Top. He's the DC for LSU. I've already said it before, but just to reiterate, Chuck Norris is scared of him.
 
#24
#24
VOLnFLORIDA said:
hamilton is level headed and doing his job like he should. if he fires fulmer, all of us that hate him will be happy, all those who love fulmer will know that hamilton let it all play out and gave fulmer the rightful chance to get it done with what he has. and that is what hamilton is probably weighing this whole thing on, has:
fulmer made any changes and improvements to rectify the 2005 bust, "apparition to fulmer". have the changes been made and are they getting the best out of what they have ot work with.....i guess the board can chew that to pieces, but hamilton at least knows the sentiment of an unsettled VolNation.
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Hate is a strong word. If anyone has hate for hamilton i pity them. I just think he has hurt the team by setting on his hands. It's no secret him and phil are good friends. He has been more patient with phil than most others would have. I guess the NC and winning the sec once every century warrants this.
 
#25
#25
It is, what it is. Did you expect him to say "Dammit, Phil better get it straight round here or s__ts gonna change."

He's a business man. Expect neutral answers and seriously he has to be a busy man.
 
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