John Currie of K State Hired as AD

[Probably_in_Class]

Hamilton was great at raising money too. how did he do with coaches while he was here?

So every guy who is good at raising money is automatically Mike Hamilton? Ok, good logic...

Yes, they worked together, so did EVERYONE who worked in the Tennessee AD at the time, particularly Blackburn. We can't collectively demand a guy with connection to Tennessee and then arbitrarily pick out people who ever had a connection to Hamilton. That doesn't leave anyone.

 

[Probably_in_Class]

lmao, we suck at everything, but you find no reason to be upset? you support losing?

Go back in your hole, troll. We don't "suck at everything," and even if we did, we just hired an AD from a program beating us solidly in the Director's Cup. How is that not stepping in the right direction?

 

[Daddy Gee]

Name one sport in which we excel? I'll give you softball. Any others?

 

[volfannbama]

Name one sport in which we excel? I'll give you softball. Any others?

The Sport of Life?

 

[Daddy Gee]

The Sport f Life?

:rock:epper:

 

[Probably_in_Class]

Name one sport in which we excel? I'll give you softball. Any others?

Wait, are we going from "suck at everything" to excel? That's a rather significant jump and an argument I never made.

We put out high level, competitive teams in a lot of sports. Not many are national title contenders currently, but that doesn't mean the entire AD is putting out a terrible product.

 

[OrangeInKy]

Hubbs...

He was a divisive figure, many didn't think he was a viable option, left Tennessee after having fractured some relationships.

Some committee members weren't caught up to speed, only learned of hiring of Currie yesterday morning. Some were kept out of the loop.

Davenport insisted on P5 AD experience and got enough committee members to agree with her.

One thing Currie has to do when he gets here is to try and mend some fences from his past time here.

In December, Fulmer had no desire to be involved, didn't want the job, was fully behind DB. Was contacted and told he needed to be in the mix since DB wasn't.

If this is true, it elevates my view of Fulmer. Makes sense too as it seemed odd he'd openly lobby for job Blackburn was after.
I am still baffled by this hire. So many better options. I was one shouting for a guy with Tennessee ties, but that had limits. I would have been fine with no ties if it was someone with a good track record with hiring coaches and working with staff.

 

[JonGrudensAgent]

Hubbs...

He was a divisive figure, many didn't think he was a viable option, left Tennessee after having fractured some relationships.

Some committee members weren't caught up to speed, only learned of hiring of Currie yesterday morning. Some were kept out of the loop.

Davenport insisted on P5 AD experience and got enough committee members to agree with her.

One thing Currie has to do when he gets here is to try and mend some fences from his past time here.

In December, Fulmer had no desire to be involved, didn't want the job, was fully behind DB. Was contacted and told he needed to be in the mix since DB wasn't.

This all sounds par for the course for the Vols.

Hire a retread that was the right hand man to Hamilton who oversaw running the entire program into the ditch.

 

[utvolpj]

Currie issues with UT boosters = red flag

Blackburn issues with UT boosters = butthurt booster

Currie worked in Hamilton AD = red flag

Blackburn worked in Hamilton AD = no big deal

People are getting so tied into one candidate they fail to admit all have warts. You don't win anything if "your guy" is chosen

 

[CoaxialOrange]

The Sport of Life?

Mmm dayum

 

[Daddy Gee]

Wait, are we going from "suck at everything" to excel? That's a rather significant jump and an argument I never made.

We put out high level, competitive teams in a lot of sports. Not many are national title contenders currently, but that doesn't mean the entire AD is putting out a terrible product.

We used to compete nationally across the board. Football, basketball (at times for the men), track, softball, golf, tennis, swimming, etc.

We don't compete nationally any more.

 

[Hubbard]

I've been positive about Jones and company for weeks now
Forgive me if I'm not happy about power players blocking the right guy because they threaten to take the money and go home like 13 yr old girls.


Good for them. If you choose to have a purely positive outlook then that's great. Have a great day

I was behind Blackburn but I like the qualifications of Currie better. Objectively, it appears to be an excellent hire.

 

[Probably_in_Class]

We used to compete nationally across the board. Football, basketball (at times for the men), track, softball, golf, tennis, swimming, etc.

We don't compete nationally any more.

Yes...and? Again, you're arguing against an argument I never made, but ok.

We still compete nationally in all of those sports, but if you're getting to our prime, that's been nearly two decades. A lot has changed in college athletics since then.

UT Football had a national ranking much of the year and has regularly beaten opponents outside the conference in other parts of the "nation."

UT Bball both men's and women's have played very competitive games all across the country against top tier opponents and come away with wins over nationally ranked opponents.

I could go on, but you get the gist. We just hired a guy who led a lesser school to "win more" than we have in quite a long time. I'm missing the part where that is a move in the wrong direction.

 

[KBVol]

If this is true, it elevates my view of Fulmer. Makes sense too as it seemed odd he'd openly lobby for job Blackburn was after.
I am still baffled by this hire. So many better options. I was one shouting for a guy with Tennessee ties, but that had limits. I would have been fine with no ties if it was someone with a good track record with hiring coaches and working with staff.

I've heard this same thing from 3 different sources now. Recall that prior to Christmas, Fulmer was publicly endorsing Blackburn, heard him myself doing so on local radio. But then when he got word that Blackburn wasn't even a serious candidate, and was urged to consider the position so that a "Tennessee man" / the right person would be the next AD, he gave word that he would throw his hat into the ring. The guy loves UT and the program. It was a selfless act imo......he needed to be AD like he needs a hole in the head.

 

[Hubbard]

Feel really bad for Blackburn. He deserves better than to be screwed around with like this imo.

I think he is a big boy and can handle business decisions.

If not, he is not ready to be an AD in the SEC.

He has proven himself and will get his shot to advance.

It's going to be ok.

 

[cd12]

Would a conservative figure on the popularity of this hire be 50/50? I'm seeing more against but that is just from boards and social media. If that is the case. For a guy whose claim to fame is fundraising. It appears he has a heck of a sales job in front of him. I have no clue where the big money stands on this hire and even with the discontent I don't think the base will leave the stands empty on Saturdays if the product is good. It appears Mr. Currie wanted the job and looked at it as a destination position. I don't think he could have predicted the backlash which really isn't a fault of his own. Sometimes the only position better than being the man is being the man everyone thinks should be the man. So DB still has that going for him.

 

[KBVol]

I think he is a big boy and can handle business decisions.

If not, he is not ready to be an AD in the SEC.

He has proven himself and will get his shot to advance.

It's going to be ok.

So one can't express empathy for a fellow UT alum who's done everything right, including having great success at his current position, who publicly stated that he wanted the job, but didn't even get a formal interview because a booster or two didn't like that he was a voice supporting Fulmer before his ouster and a voice against Derek Dolley's hiring?

He's a big boy, can handle himself and will surely get a big time P5 job soon where he'll no doubt have great success as well. I just hate seeing a greatly qualified UT guy have to go somewhere else while getting completely disrespected due to some axe to grind by some out of touch booster who evidently thought Dooley was once upon a time the man for job to lead Tennessee football.

 

[Probably_in_Class]

So one can't express empathy for a fellow UT alum who's done everything right, including having great success at his current position, who publicly stated that he wanted the job, but didn't even get a formal interview because a booster or two didn't like that he was a voice supporting Fulmer before his ouster and a voice against Derek Dolley's hiring?

He's a big boy, can handle himself and will surely get a big time P5 job soon where he'll no doubt have great success as well. I just hate seeing a greatly qualified UT guy have to go somewhere else while getting completely disrespected due to some axe to grind by some out of touch booster who evidently thought Dooley was once upon a time the man for job to lead Tennessee football.

It's a stretch to say he's done everything right. I think it's pretty clear he pissed off someone. Who, how, and when are up for debate, but a guy who did everything right would be in the AD seat today.

If you're going to say Blackburn did everything right, you'd have to say Currie did everything right...better.

 

[butchna]

No concern that Currie was Hamilton's right hand/hatchet man and his involvement/taking point in the coaching searches which led to Todd Raleigh and Lane Kiffin? Then throw in that he ran off a very successful bball coach in Frank Martin (hothead or no, who cares) in favor of Bruce Weber (who's gonna miss the NCAA tourney for the third straight year) and his problems getting along with Snyder, who's the only reason the football program has ever been on the map. Saban is a hothead, has a God complex and is surely difficult to get along with, but any AD down there better damn we'll figure out how to keep him happy. I don't know, I see a few red flags here. Currie has to be able to attract top coaches when the time comes .... will he be able to here given his reputation in that area?

On paper Currie checks most of all the boxes, he's a great search firm hire. But I think there are some concerns here and his hiring in no way unifies the fan base.

The Hamilton Hatchet Man rhetoric? Man had a job. Was he going to refuse his boss's decision? Not his call. Don't know the actual knowledge of the "sources" claiming he was front and center on the hires (or other claiming he was the lead on getting rid of Fulmer in the bungled manner we witnessed) but I think he merely did research on the hires...anything else is speculation. All successful coaches have egos. And all egos have different reasoning levels. I'd put Saban's decision making a few rungs higher than Snyder's. Saban has adjusted preemptively ahead of other top coaches...hence #1 recruiting classes year after year. He's also the top dog and money maker at a monster program...buys you a lot of sway. Snyder was and is successful at a much smaller scale and issues that have flared up in recent years like playing an inordinate level of cupcakes doesn't sync with Bama playing top teams at the beginning of every season. Currie was strengthening the SOS and Snyder bucked at that move...instant "bad people skills". He'll continue Hart's preference of scheduling quality opponents early to balance the fillers IMO.

 

[Hubbard]

So one can't express empathy for a fellow UT alum who's done everything right, including having great success at his current position, who publicly stated that he wanted the job, but didn't even get a formal interview because a booster or two didn't like that he was a voice supporting Fulmer before his ouster and a voice against Derek Dolley's hiring?

He's a big boy, can handle himself and will surely get a big time P5 job soon where he'll no doubt have great success as well. I just hate seeing a greatly qualified UT guy have to go somewhere else while getting completely disrespected due to some axe to grind by some out of touch booster who evidently thought Dooley was once upon a time the man for job to lead Tennessee football.

Oh, now I have hurt your feelings.

Understand that disagreeing with your opinion is not the same as disagreeing with your ability to express it.

Sure, Blackburn is disappointed but I think he will be fine.

 

[Tin Man]

Not much good comes out of Kansas.

Ahem... You got a problem with Dorothy, spell it out. :angry:

 

[Behr]

The Sport of Life?

Lol, how many more of those do you have left? Gotta be running low.

 

[cd12]

On the plus side... for a man with his fundraising background. The buyouts should be a non issue.

 

[Daddy Gee]

Would a conservative figure on the popularity of this hire be 50/50? I'm seeing more against but that is just from boards and social media. If that is the case. For a guy whose claim to fame is fundraising. It appears he has a heck of a sales job in front of him. I have no clue where the big money stands on this hire and even with the discontent I don't think the base will leave the stands empty on Saturdays if the product is good. It appears Mr. Currie wanted the job and looked at it as a destination position. I don't think he could have predicted the backlash which really isn't a fault of his own. Sometimes the only position better than being the man is being the man everyone thinks should be the man. So DB still has that going for him.

That's the funniest part of all this. Fund raising is the primary accomplishment that you hear for Currie. He apparently had a poor relationship with Snyder, ran off a difficult coach in Martin (also alienating a potential, future coach in Underwood), and micromanaged his coaches and fans to the point of frustration.

UT fund-raises and recruits on its own. As long as you have someone semi-competent at managing those, they take take of themselves. It's laughable to say he's a good hire because he can raise money. Fulmer could have done that in his retirement.

 

[KBVol]

It's a stretch to say he's done everything right. I think it's pretty clear he pissed off someone. Who, how, and when are up for debate, but a guy who did everything right would be in the AD seat today.

If you're going to say Blackburn did everything right, you'd have to say Currie did everything right...better.

100% disagree. All Blackburn did is work his way up the UTAD over a couple or 3 decades, support his boss Philip Fulmer, do everything in his power to keep Lane Kiffin from further damaging the program, argue strongly against the hiring of Derek Dooley and then go on to have phenomenal success at UTC, where hiring quality coaches is much, much more difficult than hiring quality coaches at places like Kansas St and UT.

Hubbs said several things about Currie this morning, most of it negative outside of his fundraising. So, if you equate the two and even give Currie the nod in terms of how they got to where they are right now, then that's on you. They're not the same guy, didn't have the same experience during their respective times at Tennessee and certainly haven't shown the same abilities to hire coaches at their current positions, it's Blackburn by a mile.