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As we pass midnight and head into Friday morning, I thought I'd stop wrestling with the VolNation server for a minute and try to sum up where this crazy coaching search stands. And I think it stands just where I've thought all along -- nobody knows.
(Please correct me if anything here is inaccurate or I've overlooked anything. Remember, I've spent most of my time with my face in a terminal window trying (with mixed results) to prevent the server from crashing. I don't have any other sources aside from information that has been posted here in one form or another. This is mostly pure speculation on my part.. so keep that in mind.)
The first candidate to surface was Will Muschamp, and while I don't know how serious the interest was from Tennessee, I don't believe they were ready to formally offer him the job right out of the gate. It happened too fast. Muschamp's name was among the first mentioned - almost immediately after Kiffin's departure - and I believe the rumors got out of hand quickly. Again, I'm not saying Tennessee didn't have interest, because I think they did. I just don't believe it escalated to the level that some area media were reporting. I'm betting at no time were the negotiations as far along as we were led to believe.
Strike one.
Next up was Troy Calhoun. Since Calhoun was reported to be a very serious candidate in Tennessee's coaching search last season, it's only natural to assume that he would again be a candidate just a year later. Like Muschamp, I'm confident that Tennessee reached out to Calhoun, but I don't believe the talks hit the frenzied peak that was being reported the media. Many erroneously reported that Calhoun had accepted the position and a press conference was pending. It was even reported that Calhoun had a team meeting scheduled late Thursday afternoon. However, the crack reporters who broke the story didn't think to confirm that the meeting was in reference to the Tennessee job. Calhoun later released a statement that he was staying at Air Force. Is it likely that Calhoun was offered and declined? I think not.
Strike two.
Welcome back David Cutcliffe! WBIR reported this afternoon that Cut agreed to terms to become Tennessee's next football coach. Most of the local radio media had already informed us that all signs pointed to Cutcliffe and it was his job if he wanted it, so the news wasn't really a huge surprise. Except for one small detail... the reports were inaccurate... again. Just hours later, reporters were back-peddling when we learned that Cutcliffe didn't even have a formal offer. While David Cutcliffe is clearly a candidate for the job, media folk jumped the gun for a third time.
Strike three.
I'm a baseball fan, and in my book it's three strikes and you are out. So you'll have to excuse me when I am hesitant to believe the latest reports of Lovie Smith being on a plane headed to Knoxville Friday morning to be introduced as Tennessee's next football coach.
I think media in this market have proven themselves to be no better than the message board posters they like to look down their noses at. These guys are so hard-up to break this story, they've been taking gossip and preaching it as gospel. It's beyond absurd and quite disappointing. I expect more from those who try so hard to appear as professionals.
When it's all said and done, it's very possible that one of the four names listed above may be Tennessee's next head coach (but I doubt it). And when Hamilton steps out from behind his smokescreen and the decision is finally made, I'm sure every one of these media guys will claim, 'I knew it all along'. In the meantime, I'm laughing while they make Mike Hamilton look like James Bond.
Carry on.
(Please correct me if anything here is inaccurate or I've overlooked anything. Remember, I've spent most of my time with my face in a terminal window trying (with mixed results) to prevent the server from crashing. I don't have any other sources aside from information that has been posted here in one form or another. This is mostly pure speculation on my part.. so keep that in mind.)
The first candidate to surface was Will Muschamp, and while I don't know how serious the interest was from Tennessee, I don't believe they were ready to formally offer him the job right out of the gate. It happened too fast. Muschamp's name was among the first mentioned - almost immediately after Kiffin's departure - and I believe the rumors got out of hand quickly. Again, I'm not saying Tennessee didn't have interest, because I think they did. I just don't believe it escalated to the level that some area media were reporting. I'm betting at no time were the negotiations as far along as we were led to believe.
Strike one.
Next up was Troy Calhoun. Since Calhoun was reported to be a very serious candidate in Tennessee's coaching search last season, it's only natural to assume that he would again be a candidate just a year later. Like Muschamp, I'm confident that Tennessee reached out to Calhoun, but I don't believe the talks hit the frenzied peak that was being reported the media. Many erroneously reported that Calhoun had accepted the position and a press conference was pending. It was even reported that Calhoun had a team meeting scheduled late Thursday afternoon. However, the crack reporters who broke the story didn't think to confirm that the meeting was in reference to the Tennessee job. Calhoun later released a statement that he was staying at Air Force. Is it likely that Calhoun was offered and declined? I think not.
Strike two.
Welcome back David Cutcliffe! WBIR reported this afternoon that Cut agreed to terms to become Tennessee's next football coach. Most of the local radio media had already informed us that all signs pointed to Cutcliffe and it was his job if he wanted it, so the news wasn't really a huge surprise. Except for one small detail... the reports were inaccurate... again. Just hours later, reporters were back-peddling when we learned that Cutcliffe didn't even have a formal offer. While David Cutcliffe is clearly a candidate for the job, media folk jumped the gun for a third time.
Strike three.
I'm a baseball fan, and in my book it's three strikes and you are out. So you'll have to excuse me when I am hesitant to believe the latest reports of Lovie Smith being on a plane headed to Knoxville Friday morning to be introduced as Tennessee's next football coach.
I think media in this market have proven themselves to be no better than the message board posters they like to look down their noses at. These guys are so hard-up to break this story, they've been taking gossip and preaching it as gospel. It's beyond absurd and quite disappointing. I expect more from those who try so hard to appear as professionals.
When it's all said and done, it's very possible that one of the four names listed above may be Tennessee's next head coach (but I doubt it). And when Hamilton steps out from behind his smokescreen and the decision is finally made, I'm sure every one of these media guys will claim, 'I knew it all along'. In the meantime, I'm laughing while they make Mike Hamilton look like James Bond.
Carry on.
