Fulmer's Legacy

#28
#28
25 year old lived in Knoxville my whole life who got my MBA from TN. I have alot of good memories of Fulmer as I was really starting to understand football and TN tradition when our teams were great year in and year out. With that said, my view of him has changed dramatically. I said in 2004 that we should begin thinking about making a change, and by the end of 2005 I was sure that Fulmer had become a guppy in a tank full of sharks. If we could've gotten him out when I wanted, then maybe Meyer or Saban are leading us to glory today. We were in a great position back then to offer some great, established coaches. Right now is a little more questionable with regards to coaching candidates. I blame Fulmer's pride, stubbornness, and stupidity for ultimately leaving us out to dry. I have lost alot of respect for him as I believe that someone so knowledgeable about football KNEW he was done years ago. He knew his system no longer worked. He knew he couldn't bring in the level of players he had before. He knew the rest of the SEC was getting better and better while he was steering the programs towards mediocrity. I feel that if he loved this program as much as he says he does, then he wouldn't have extorted millions of dollars from the university after not performing and using his personal relationships and goodwill to keep himself at the helm. Therefore, I feel that his legacy is tainted as a result of his own actions. I don't feel bad for this because he had the opportunity to do the right thing on multiple occasions. He didn't and now the program he supposedly loves is at rock bottom and probably at the beginning stages of a lengthy rebuilding phase to get back to the top.
 
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#29
#29
Sullsmith said:
I'm older than all of you 61 and i've seen it all.But i will tell you with the talent we had in the 90's we probably should have had at least one more championship.We played not to lose and it backfired many times.We had no killer instints in our coaches and little excitement on the bench.We seemed to recruit great players that were never heard from once they arrived on campus.Who knows what really happened this year but not having a QB may have killed the season starting with UCLA.
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That is 100% true. I believe with the talent we had, a truly good coach would've gotten 2 championships with the opportunity to pick up a 3rd. You could say he underachieved even back then.
 
#30
#30
From 1998 where he took the Vols to the Top of the World.....:number1:


To 2008 where he took the Vols to the Bottom of the Toliet...:crap2:
 
#31
#31
My first game was Ole Miss in 1959, and I was already a Vols fan as my mom & dad were going to games since I can remember. They have had season tickets since 1962. I watched the drawn out death of the single wing, inexplicably by Bowden Wyatt, the reemergence of respect under Dickey the embattled Bill, the marching home of Johnny and the enigmatic Fulmer. I will remember Phil Fulmer for exactly what he is. First and foremost a Tennessee Volunteer of the highest degree, no one can deny his love of Tennessee football. A coach who was able to convey that spirit to his players and their parents so they wanted to play here. A coach of above average results who won us that NC that seemed so elusive. Unfortunately that seemed to lessen the fire in the belly, and we have slipped below mediocrity. In short a coach that made me proud to be a Volunteer. He just didn't stay hungry.
 
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#32
#32
rbroyles said:
My first game was Ole Miss in 1959, and I was already a Vols fan as my mom & dad were going to games since I can remember. They have had season tickets since 1962. I watched the drawn out death of the single wing, inexplicably by Bowden Wyatt, the reemergence of respect under Dickey the embattled Bill, the marching home of Johnny and the enigmatic Fulmer. I will remember Phil Fulmer for exactly what he is. First and foremost a Tennessee Volunteer of the highest degree, no one can deny his love of Tennessee football. A coach who was able to convey that spirit to his players and their parents so they wanted to play here. A coach of above average results who won us that NC that seemed so elusive. Unfortunately that seemed to lessen the fire in the belly, and we have slipped below mediocraty. In short a coach that made me proud to be a Volunteer. He just didn't stay hungry.
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Nice story broyles. Did you guys get to the game on horseback?
 
#38
#38
Went to both SEC Championship WINS and the 1998 NC. Best trip of our lives... helicopter over the Grand Canyon; sat beside the Pride Of The Southland Band... saw it all and will be forever grateful for the memories.

Always have felt CPF was a good recruiter, great with parents, instilled loyalty, etc., but was not a great coach. Great talent and competent assistants, along with other SEC schools enduring low tide, combined for the blessings. Now, other schools have great coaching and good recruiting also. He's ebbed out. Sad.
 
#39
#39
rbroyles said:
My first game was Ole Miss in 1959, and I was already a Vols fan as my mom & dad were going to games since I can remember. They have had season tickets since 1962. I watched the drawn out death of the single wing, inexplicably by Bowden Wyatt, the reemergence of respect under Dickey the embattled Bill, the marching home of Johnny and the enigmatic Fulmer. I will remember Phil Fulmer for exactly what he is. First and foremost a Tennessee Volunteer of the highest degree, no one can deny his love of Tennessee football. A coach who was able to convey that spirit to his players and their parents so they wanted to play here. A coach of above average results who won us that NC that seemed so elusive. Unfortunately that seemed to lessen the fire in the belly, and we have slipped below mediocraty. In short a coach that made me proud to be a Volunteer. He just didn't stay hungry.
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eloquent
 
#40
#40
Coach i think as bad as Notre looked yesterday that maybe u might get that chance to coach next year because they tend to like the lineman type.
 
#41
#41
I am 58 and have been a Vol van since 1965! I will remember Phil Fulmer as a great coach and great Tennesseean! In my view, this last year, although extremely frustrating, will not tarnish my sense of what Fulmer has done for Tennessee. Everything bad that could happen to a team DID this year. . .new OC, new system, two inexperienced QB's that played dreadfully, an OL that we all thought was seasoned, had a dreadful year, we lost the first game of the year, and everything snowballed from there. As I write this, I am preparing to drive back to Washington, D.C., just having spent a long weekend in Knoxville. It was great to see the Vols again for the first time since 1971. . .It just breaks my heart to see the team in such disarray. Things will get straightened out. . .and I wish nothing but the best for Phil Fulmer. . .he has my admiration and respect.
 
#43
#43
Fan since I was a feshman in 1975. My memory of Fulmer will be:

Dedicated
Hard worker
Inflexible
Lacking creative and intuitive thinking

These have been my views since 1995 - this year didn't change any of them
 
#44
#44
Here's how I will remember him:

1. Stabbed Johnny Majors in the back to get the job and take over a talented team.
2. Turned us into Outlaw University by bringing in thugs and gangsters from every nook and cranny of the underworld.
3. 52 arrests in four years (google USA Today to see it for yourself).
4. Over 70% loss rate in the last seven years against Bama, LSU, Auburn, Fla, Georgia, the SECCG, top tier teams and bowl games. That is a LOT of games.
5. "We were using the run to set up the punt". The idiot gave a Bama game away because he wanted to watch a drunk punt the ball repeatedly instead of trying to get a first down.
6. Destroys discipline by keeping drunks and drug users on the team and will do whatever it takes to keep them on the team.
7. Was so bad as a coach he had to be fired even though a member of the Good Ole' Boys Club.
8. Left the football program in a shambles and destroyed though much wealthier himself.
9. Should have been rode out of town on a rail.
 
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#45
#45
nashvillevolunteer said:
I was just wondering how various posters will remember Phil Fulmer. Not to be too nerdy, but if you would not mind putting how long you have followed the vols, it would be interesting to see the difference between some old timers and the young guys.

Try to put the loss to Wyoming out of your mind while you write this.
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I will remember him taking us to a NC in 1998 and unable to repeat with a strong 1999 team. Then became complacent and started a transition much like Bobby B at FSU. I think he lost the fire somewhere along the way.
 
#46
#46
I'm 34 and an alum, been a Vol fan all my life.

Phil took us to heights I never thought I'd see... and now depths I never thought I'd see. Forever grateful for the NC, but the past 4 years are really going to be hard to forget too.

Definitely past time for him to move on. Off the field, good man. On the field, mediocre at best. Benefited from stupid talent in the 90s, his abilities as a coach were exposed in the 00s.

This chapter will be done soon after a couple more embarrassing losses at the hands of KY and Vandy.
 
#47
#47
General Jack said:
I'm 34 and an alum, been a Vol fan all my life.

Phil took us to heights I never thought I'd see... and now depths I never thought I'd see. Forever grateful for the NC, but the past 4 years are really going to be hard to forget too.

Definitely past time for him to move on. Off the field, good man. On the field, mediocre at best. Benefited from stupid talent in the 90s, his abilities as a coach were exposed in the 00s.

This chapter will be done soon after a couple more embarrassing losses at the hands of KY and Vandy.
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I agree. His legacy is hard to figure. Right now, to truly appreciate him, you have to ignore a whole hell of alot. Still, it is an end of an era. From here on, the HC will be a rented gunslinger instead of one of the family. Most schools have to worry about their coach leaving for greener pastures after a NC. At Tennessee, that was not the case but that will change (even if nothing more than to strengthen posiiton in contract negotiations). I can appreciate him if I consider that and forget the rest.
 
#48
#48
I am 52 and an alum of UTK. This will be the third coach i have seen lose their job. Bill Battle, Johnny Majors and now Phil. All 3 of them needed to go because for whatever reason, they became ineffective.

I will remember CPF first as a man of high character who never compromised his principles and was a role model for the young men he led. These are qualities i want in every head coach Tennessee has. I think at his peak he was a good/great coach. He had the fortune of superior talent and excellent assistant coaches. Looking back, i think they were good cover for his lack of coaching skills that kept him from being a great coach.

Although his decline started in 2001, this year has been the perfect storm; horrible quarterback play, undisciplined receivers, inconsistent o-line play, a new offensive scheme. It's sad that he is going out this way but i think it was the only way he would have left. I don't see how any rational person would come to any other conclusion but that it is time to go.

thank you Phil. You are truly a class act and I will miss the love for UT that is truly in your heart. I pray that our next coach has half the class that you do.

jimmyvol
 
#49
#49
I'm 61 and graduate of UT and this was a season for all ages.WE i think liked Coach Fulmer as a person the kind of coach you would want your son to play for.We lost something along the way be it attitude,recruiting ,coaching or stupidity.You name it we probably fall into that category
 
#50
#50
Graduated in '86 will remember pulling for him to replace Johnny in '92 then having an incredible run through '99. Was at that SECCG debacle against LSU and it seemed that game set the tone for the rest of his tenure with ugly bowl losses to Clemson and Maryland. The last 7-8 years have been a rocky soap opera that I'm relieved has finally just about come to an end.
 
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