Fulmer won't RESIGN...Hamilton to BLAME???

#1

volsfan12

G-Gun, where you at?
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#1
The SEC blog on ESPN stated that Fulmer's buyout was over $5 million.... Think Hamilton dont wanna pay??? Or is Fulmer just tryin to make the team look like crap so maybe he can get it???? What do ya think?

Auburn more than just a game for Vols, Fulmer

September 23, 2008 11:45 AM


Posted by ESPN.com's Chris Low

For Auburn, it's a chance to stay afloat in the Western Division race. A second straight SEC loss, especially at home, and the Tigers can forget about spending the first weekend in December in Atlanta.

For Tennessee, it's much more. For Phillip Fulmer, it's much more. The Vols head to the Plains on Saturday with the kind of dark cloud hovering over this program that we haven't seen on Fulmer's watch.

The dean of SEC coaches needs desperately for something good to happen.

This is more dire than a year ago when he and his team fought their way out of an embarrassing hole to play in the SEC championship. We'll find out if this team has the kind of leadership and resolve to make a similar recovery.

For Fulmer, who's been the face of Tennessee football for the better part of the last two decades, it may border on a Houdini-type act to salvage anything positive out of this season.

The scariest part for him is that the unrest and anger among the fans is quickly turning into apathy.

During Fulmer's appearance on the university's weekly call-in show Monday night (VolCalls), two different fans very matter of factly asked Fulmer on the air what it would take for him to resign.

Fulmer made it clear that he has no plans to resign. And those who know him best insist that he's more determined than ever to go out on his terms.

Given his 30-plus years of service to his alma mater, he deserves to. But in the realm of big-time college football, 'deserve' rarely has anything to do with it.

It's about bottom-line results, and Tennessee is sinking deeper and deeper into SEC mediocrity.

It's not a program that has completely tanked, as some critics of Fulmer insist. Tennessee's been to the SEC championship game five of the last 11 years.

The Vols just haven't won one since 1998, and the losses along the way to the teams that count -- Alabama, Florida and Georgia -- are mounting. This decade, Tennessee is now 11-14 against that triumvirate.

In the world of Tennessee football, that's not good enough. Fulmer would tell you that himself.

He's too much of a professional to start thinking about long-term scenarios and what may or may not happen at the end of this season. He'll put all of his time and energy into this team and these players.

And depending on what happens the rest of the way, my hunch is that there will be a more intense evaluation than ever before at season's end -- on both sides.

Fulmer's buyout is enormous (somewhere around $5.5 million paid out over 48 months). But if Tennessee athletic director Mike Hamilton and the university administration don't genuinely believe that Fulmer is the guy to lead them to another SEC championship, then they're doing a disservice to everybody by retaining him for another season.

Fulmer's meant the world to Tennessee football. But he's not bigger than the program. Nobody is.

As Fulmer has said many times himself, it's a big boy business. He'll know when it's time
 
#2
#2
Steve from Atlanta writes: Hey Chris! Rocky Top is rumbling and I can feel it even 200 miles away in Atlanta as even the most staunch Fulmer supporters are jumping on the bandwagon of a head coaching change. What will it take for some big changes to be made in Knoxville?

Chris Low: At this point, a 6-6 record would definitely get Fulmer. He would not be back under that scenario. A 7-5 record would put him in real danger, and the climate around Knoxville would be such that I'm not sure he'd want to be back. My guess is that this team ends up somewhere around 7-5, which will make things interesting. The absolute worst-case scenario for Tennessee athletic director Mike Hamilton is for Tennessee to go 8-4 in the regular season, lose in a lower-tier bowl and finish 8-5. Fulmer's new contract stipulates that his deal is automatically rolled over as long as he wins eight regular-season games. But an 8-5 finish, including a bowl loss, would put Hamilton in a nightmarish position. He'd be feeling some serious heat from fans at that point -- and stuck with a $5 million-plus buyout if he decided to make a change.
 
#3
#3
Tennessee misses David Cutcliffe: The numbers say it and so does Tennessee's performance. Phillip Fulmer with David Cutcliffe as his offensive coordinator is 81-19 with two SEC championships. Fulmer without Cutcliffe is 63-28 with no SEC championships. You expected some growing pains offensively for the Vols this season with the combination of a new coordinator (Dave Clawson) and a new quarterback (Jonathan Crompton). And to be fair, it's ludicrous to evaluate Clawson after only three games. Still, the Vols miss Cutcliffe's practice field discipline, as evidenced by all the mistakes and penalties that have plagued them in their 1-2 start
 
#6
#6
It's about bottom-line results, and Tennessee is sinking deeper and deeper into SEC mediocrity.

It's not a program that has completely tanked, as some critics of Fulmer insist. Tennessee's been to the SEC championship game five of the last 11 years.

The Vols just haven't won one since 1998, and the losses along the way to the teams that count -- Alabama, Florida and Georgia -- are mounting. This decade, Tennessee is now 11-14 against that triumvirate.

read it and weep
 
#10
#10
"Fulmer's meant the world to Tennessee football. But he's not bigger than the program.

Nobody is."

so that means no matter what no coach can bring the vols back to the top of the sec and make the vols a top 10 team in the nation???? i dont think so... i think if fulmer woould just give it up.. we could rebuild the program and be a threat in the sec within 2 yrs maybe less.. as far as the coach goes... well???? who would be a good coach for the vols??? another good ? to ask.... who is gonna take fulmer's spot?? personally i dont know who would come to TN? guess only time will tell...
 
#15
#15
Hammy is Phil's guy, the action wont come from him, it'll come from Pilot Oil and Thornton
 
#16
#16
So how long does fulmer have left??? or like the first post... if the vols win 8 games does the contract roll over???
 
#21
#21
This is was a good article. It shows that those who have thought we were crazy for wanting Fulmer gone are now starting to realize it's time
 
#23
#23
This is was a good article. It shows that those who have thought we were crazy for wanting Fulmer gone are now starting to realize it's time

I didnt get that at all. It clearly states that CPF has been good for UT and he has earned the time he's gotten. When those who can pull the trigger think his time is up he will be gone. To many hate him so much they want to give him no credit. A lot of good things have happened under his watch. But if we continue to play like we have so far then you will see a move.
 
#24
#24
I didnt get that at all. It clearly states that CPF has been good for UT and he has earned the time he's gotten. When those who can pull the trigger think his time is up he will be gone. To many hate him so much they want to give him no credit. A lot of good things have happened under his watch. But if we continue to play like we have so far then you will see a move.
this is fair.

but i think the poster you quote is correct, at least in the assertion that more people are now of the opinion his time is closer to being up than it ever has before.....
 
#25
#25
The time is drawing near...

This goes way beyond a lack of talent and bad luck. This team is playing spring ball. It isn't going to change.
 
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