Heard Fulmer speak today.

#1

DeltaVol05

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#1
As the title says, I got to hear Phil Fulmer speak at city current in Germantown TN today. A lot of it was typical business leadership talk. However, it opened up to a Q&A which I thought got a little interesting. On a series with Memphis football: ( paraphrasing ) Playing UT is like a super bowl for them. Tennessee players don’t really get up for it. Thinks Tennessee/Memphis basketball series is a good idea though.
On NIL/ transfer portal: “ NIL is the way of the future, get on board or get left behind. Not a fan of the transfer portal, doesn’t teach kids to persevere through hard times. Went on to mention he was a LB that got moved to O-line and was the the sixth string guard but ended up competing for playing time ( as a freshman I suppose ).
Pruitt: He wasn’t directly asked but when he was outlining his time with the university he mentioned him ( not by name ) by saying “ Until my coach acted an idiot.” Or something along those lines.
On first becoming a head coach: ( I thought this was kind of cool) “ One of the things I wanted to do was have Tennessee merch in all the major airports across the country.”

A few other things: favorite team I believe was the 94 team when cullquit got hurt and then they had to use Helton who was really supposed to just be there until one of the freshman got schooled up. Asked about how Involved Archie was when Petyon was there. He basically said if he attended a practice you’d never know it, wasn’t vocal or overly involved at all. He was even invited to sit in on some meetings and declined. Asked about the best leaders on the team and basically some of them were second string guys that you would never know about. Mentioned that we all knew about the obvious guys like Al, Peyton, Little etc….

Anyway. Just a few takeaways. I enjoyed hearing him talk and he has a much more interesting perspective now since he’s worn a lot of hats. I understand that some people have mixed feelings about him but I really thought he presented his career on a lot more human level than some coaches may have.
 
#2
#2
As the title says, I got to hear Phil Fulmer speak at city current in Germantown TN today. A lot of it was typical business leadership talk. However, it opened up to a Q&A which I thought got a little interesting. On a series with Memphis football: ( paraphrasing ) Playing UT is like a super bowl for them. Tennessee players don’t really get up for it. Thinks Tennessee/Memphis basketball series is a good idea though.
On NIL/ transfer portal: “ NIL is the way of the future, get on board or get left behind. Not a fan of the transfer portal, doesn’t teach kids to persevere through hard times. Went on to mention he was a LB that got moved to O-line and was the the sixth string guard but ended up competing for playing time ( as a freshman I suppose ).
Pruitt: He wasn’t directly asked but when he was outlining his time with the university he mentioned him ( not by name ) by saying “ Until my coach acted an idiot.” Or something along those lines.
On first becoming a head coach: ( I thought this was kind of cool) “ One of the things I wanted to do was have Tennessee merch in all the major airports across the country.”

A few other things: favorite team I believe was the 94 team when cullquit got hurt and then they had to use Helton who was really supposed to just be there until one of the freshman got schooled up. Asked about how Involved Archie was when Petyon was there. He basically said if he attended a practice you’d never know it, wasn’t vocal or overly involved at all. He was even invited to sit in on some meetings and declined. Asked about the best leaders on the team and basically some of them were second string guys that you would never know about. Mentioned that we all knew about the obvious guys like Al, Peyton, Little etc….

Anyway. Just a few takeaways. I enjoyed hearing him talk and he has a much more interesting perspective now since he’s worn a lot of hats. I understand that some people have mixed feelings about him but I really thought he presented his career on a lot more human level than some coaches may have.

How do I feel about him? Loved him as a coach, up through about 2003-04. Was ready for a change when he was fired. Thought it would be a fiasco when he became AD. Was impressed at how he ran things at first. I understand that he was involved with paying players, etc., so have very mixed feelings, and very glad he is no longer AD. Having said that, I'm sure I would be thrilled to hear him speak, or get to meet him.
 
#3
#3
As the title says, I got to hear Phil Fulmer speak at city current in Germantown TN today. A lot of it was typical business leadership talk. However, it opened up to a Q&A which I thought got a little interesting. On a series with Memphis football: ( paraphrasing ) Playing UT is like a super bowl for them. Tennessee players don’t really get up for it. Thinks Tennessee/Memphis basketball series is a good idea though.
On NIL/ transfer portal: “ NIL is the way of the future, get on board or get left behind. Not a fan of the transfer portal, doesn’t teach kids to persevere through hard times. Went on to mention he was a LB that got moved to O-line and was the the sixth string guard but ended up competing for playing time ( as a freshman I suppose ).
Pruitt: He wasn’t directly asked but when he was outlining his time with the university he mentioned him ( not by name ) by saying “ Until my coach acted an idiot.” Or something along those lines.
On first becoming a head coach: ( I thought this was kind of cool) “ One of the things I wanted to do was have Tennessee merch in all the major airports across the country.”

A few other things: favorite team I believe was the 94 team when cullquit got hurt and then they had to use Helton who was really supposed to just be there until one of the freshman got schooled up. Asked about how Involved Archie was when Petyon was there. He basically said if he attended a practice you’d never know it, wasn’t vocal or overly involved at all. He was even invited to sit in on some meetings and declined. Asked about the best leaders on the team and basically some of them were second string guys that you would never know about. Mentioned that we all knew about the obvious guys like Al, Peyton, Little etc….

Anyway. Just a few takeaways. I enjoyed hearing him talk and he has a much more interesting perspective now since he’s worn a lot of hats. I understand that some people have mixed feelings about him but I really thought he presented his career on a lot more human level than some coaches may have.

Personally I always liked Fulmer. I think he got somewhat complacent as HC & wasn’t prepared as AD thou. I wish him & his family well.
 
#4
#4
She was the love of my life. We got married, we were on top of the world. Nothing could slow us down. We did things during that time that no one else could. But then life happens, the kids leave the house, the spark goes away, the romance wains, complacency sets in and before you know it, it’s over. But I couldnt let her go. I wanted that life back. And after a lot of persistence, amazingly, she opened her world back up to me. Was it rekindled love, nostalgia on her part, or just a tryst? I don’t know, but it was worth the ride and all I try to do is remember the good times because they will never be that good again.
 
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#5
#5
As the title says, I got to hear Phil Fulmer speak at city current in Germantown TN today. A lot of it was typical business leadership talk. However, it opened up to a Q&A which I thought got a little interesting. On a series with Memphis football: ( paraphrasing ) Playing UT is like a super bowl for them. Tennessee players don’t really get up for it. Thinks Tennessee/Memphis basketball series is a good idea though.
On NIL/ transfer portal: “ NIL is the way of the future, get on board or get left behind. Not a fan of the transfer portal, doesn’t teach kids to persevere through hard times. Went on to mention he was a LB that got moved to O-line and was the the sixth string guard but ended up competing for playing time ( as a freshman I suppose ).
Pruitt: He wasn’t directly asked but when he was outlining his time with the university he mentioned him ( not by name ) by saying “ Until my coach acted an idiot.” Or something along those lines.
On first becoming a head coach: ( I thought this was kind of cool) “ One of the things I wanted to do was have Tennessee merch in all the major airports across the country.”

A few other things: favorite team I believe was the 94 team when cullquit got hurt and then they had to use Helton who was really supposed to just be there until one of the freshman got schooled up. Asked about how Involved Archie was when Petyon was there. He basically said if he attended a practice you’d never know it, wasn’t vocal or overly involved at all. He was even invited to sit in on some meetings and declined. Asked about the best leaders on the team and basically some of them were second string guys that you would never know about. Mentioned that we all knew about the obvious guys like Al, Peyton, Little etc….

Anyway. Just a few takeaways. I enjoyed hearing him talk and he has a much more interesting perspective now since he’s worn a lot of hats. I understand that some people have mixed feelings about him but I really thought he presented his career on a lot more human level than some coaches may have.
I was at the UCLA game in 94. Jerry then Todd then Stewart then Manning. Helton hung on till after the Georgia game then he gave the job to Manning and the rest is history.
 
#10
#10
As the title says, I got to hear Phil Fulmer speak at city current in Germantown TN today. A lot of it was typical business leadership talk. However, it opened up to a Q&A which I thought got a little interesting. On a series with Memphis football: ( paraphrasing ) Playing UT is like a super bowl for them. Tennessee players don’t really get up for it. Thinks Tennessee/Memphis basketball series is a good idea though.
On NIL/ transfer portal: “ NIL is the way of the future, get on board or get left behind. Not a fan of the transfer portal, doesn’t teach kids to persevere through hard times. Went on to mention he was a LB that got moved to O-line and was the the sixth string guard but ended up competing for playing time ( as a freshman I suppose ).
Pruitt: He wasn’t directly asked but when he was outlining his time with the university he mentioned him ( not by name ) by saying “ Until my coach acted an idiot.” Or something along those lines.
On first becoming a head coach: ( I thought this was kind of cool) “ One of the things I wanted to do was have Tennessee merch in all the major airports across the country.”

A few other things: favorite team I believe was the 94 team when cullquit got hurt and then they had to use Helton who was really supposed to just be there until one of the freshman got schooled up. Asked about how Involved Archie was when Petyon was there. He basically said if he attended a practice you’d never know it, wasn’t vocal or overly involved at all. He was even invited to sit in on some meetings and declined. Asked about the best leaders on the team and basically some of them were second string guys that you would never know about. Mentioned that we all knew about the obvious guys like Al, Peyton, Little etc….

Anyway. Just a few takeaways. I enjoyed hearing him talk and he has a much more interesting perspective now since he’s worn a lot of hats. I understand that some people have mixed feelings about him but I really thought he presented his career on a lot more human level than some coaches may have.
He sure has worn a lot of hats.
 
#13
#13
Fulmer won most of his games by out recruiting everybody and his best hire as athletic director was Kellie Harper as he tried to keep Pat Summitt's legacy alive with the Harper hire.
He won most of his games because of Coach Cut. The CKH hire was a no brainer. Fulmer botched the hire that mattered. Then took the money and ran.
 
#14
#14
Fulmer was a very good football coach. Yes, he struggled at the end with assistant hires and with our rivals hiring excellent coaches. But the results speak for themselves.

Fulmer was an incompetent administrator. The results speak for themselves. He was put into a position to fail and he failed spectacularly. The best thing he did as AD was hiring Kellie and this was after retaining and extending Holly (and Kellie hasn't been a home run hire either).
 
#17
#17
I was at the UCLA game in 94. Jerry then Todd then Stewart then Manning. Helton hung on till after the Georgia game then he gave the job to Manning and the rest is history.
I remember that game being really hot and parking 150 yds from the hole on the golf course
 
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#18
#18
He deserves credit for hiring and retaining Cut and putting him in the best position to succeed. That's a main part of the job of a HC...
IIRC Johnny Majors hired Coach Cutcliffe in 1982. He was already on staff when Fulmer took over. Fulmer is better known for hiring Dave Clawsen and Jeremy Pruitt.
 
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#19
#19
IIRC Johnny Majors hired Coach Cutcliffe in 1982. He was already on staff when Fulmer was took over. Fulmer is better known hiring Dave Clawsen and Jeremy Pruitt.

Fulmer could have hired his own guy at any time from 92-98 or micromanaged Cut enough where he left for a lateral move. Fulmer could have been toxic where assistants were fleeing like rats (i.e. Pruitt).
 
#21
#21
As a younger Vol fan, Fulmer embodied everything that Tennessee Football was. I could never hold what Pruitt did against him regardless of involvement (which I think was limited). I think he's always tried to do what was best for Tennessee Football.
He tried as AD but just not experienced. I was in favor but not a good move. I do think we wouldn’t have had the depths of long term losing if we stuck with him a few more years to see if he could turn things around but by that time we were spoiled w 10 win seasons and like Spurrier always said, at a certain point coaches reach diminishing return and need to move on...except for Saban obviously.
 
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#22
#22
Fulmer managed the football team well for a long time in the 90s and early 2000s. Then he botched hire after hire on staff. His instincts and people failed him. When he got serious about fixing the mess, it was bigger than him and then patience was gone.
I look back and remember the Kiffen hire and see it as swinging for the fences. It was sa very un-UT move. Bold. When our admin had the chance to reset the next year, instead of a homerun hire, they chose to bunt. Pitiful.
 
#24
#24
Personally I always liked Fulmer. I think he got somewhat complacent as HC & wasn’t prepared as AD thou. I wish him & his family well.
Fulmer wanted the best for Tennessee; it’s just unfortunate that his ideas for what was best for Tennessee seldom was and he was willing to backstab anyone to get his way.
 
#25
#25
I wrote him a letter of encouragement when he got fired and was able to go see his last game- the win over KY. A few weeks later, I received an envelope from the football office. He responded to my letter personally and thanked and encouraged me. I have that letter framed with the 2 stubs from that game and a pic of he and I at a touchdown club where he spoke.
I realize his time as AD and the parting of ways was less than ideal, but he is a VFL and did a lot of good for UT, and I’ll always be a Fulmer fan.
 

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