Official Jon Gruden Thread XLV

[tennvols77]

They can kiss those Neyland renovations goodbye.

Can they, I would hope so, but, after all of this I say they are pretty confident it's not going to be an issue.

 

[zydane47]

I agree however we are already at the bottom of the SEC basement - 0 and 8 in conference play!

I will add that I concur that Haslam pushed all in and it was the fans and legislature that stifled the Schiano hire. I am beginning to think that Haslam knew exactly what he was doing in regards to the other big money booster however he did not anticipate the huge negative fan reaction.

There has been little inside info coming out so Haslam's gamble as to the other big money boosters appears to have "put them in their place". Haslam apparently quashed the rebellion of the "princes".

We are probably on our own now and the AD (HOH) is going to roll out some schmuck Coach Google. I suspect that the hire will occur under the cover of darkness in the late night hours to avoid another fan backlash.

Would still love to see Gruden announced as our head coach but that ship has left the dock.

As I stated in the other thread before this one, we are at a crossroads as a program right now.

The question is do we allow the devil (Haslam) to continue to lead us down that wrong path, or do we make our own destiny and step into the light.

We have the chance to not stay at the bottom, the right hire will do it, the problem is no one in the University or boosters seems to have the strength/stones to do anything about it.

Who has ever really toppled kings? Was it the armies they lead finally turning on them? The supposed next in line prince?

No it was the people, the down trodden, the looked over, the ones that are taken for granted.

Unless a nuclear option is used, mean dirty laundry to media/fans, there will be a new hire, it will happen in the middle of the night and then we will know what path we took.

To me, after these past few days, Haslam is the embodiment of the Joker.

The other boosters obviously didn't understand him. He can't be reasoned, bought, bullied or negotiated with, he just wants to watch UT burn.

 

[revjayp]

You see the crowd for the Vanderbilt game? Tennessee is feeling the wrath.

I did. But that was heat of the moment disgust. When they hire someone, all will be forgotten and forgiven by the casual fan. Read the Morris thread... there are people already liking that hire! He went 13-22 at SMU!

 

[superdave1984]

With him basically calling the shots at UT, it's just going to look like we are ok with accepting the "dirty money" from him. Tennessee should have been distancing the university from Haslam at the first wind of this case.

I can see that. I also think that it will be a good possibility that Bill leaves the BoT over it to get some distance from the situation. He can't afford to stay close if he wants any higher office than he has.

Can you imagine the liberal media getting on the story of possible dirty money being funneled into UT through the governor and his family?

 

[patrick]

I thought I read somewhere that the funding had been pulled for this? Maybe I was hallucinating again...

There have been posts in this thread that say that but nothing really concrete. And the AD is still pursuing Google Coaches (except for Gundy of course).

 

[robbymoore94]

The more I think about it, the more I only see one way out of it. IF there was a MOU, which I’m beginning to doubt at this point, agreed to by Gruden or any other coach worth having you leak it. You find a respected reporter, Hargis for example, and you lay it all out. You force your hand just like Currie and Haslam tried to do. That’s the only way Currie gets removed. Period. All the calls, letters, and Tweets in the world are not making a difference. Clearly, the threat of pulling of funding doesn’t scare them because honestly, they know enough people will still support the product to make it sustainable. To win this fight, you must publicly shame them by proving there was a better alternative, and that Currie and Jimmy are the reason coaches aren’t coming.

If there was a MOU, or a viable story of meetings that could be substantiated by multiple sources, then you tell it today. Gruden, nor any other A level coach, isn’t coming with the way things are. You go to that person and say we are leaking this to remove the obstacles in the way. At this point leaking information really couldn’t make it worse on anyone but Currie.

 

[SmokeyLives]

Again, PV was right on all accounts. Like he said, it was definitely an exciting day yesterday and way more public than ever before. He also was the first to say Gundy said no (hours before it was ever reported). He called Beav. out when he said they were working on having a coach public coach say something (later confirming he was talking about Gruden today on Golic) today, saying that he needed to stop making these claims and giving false hope because he could assure us all Gruden was NOT going to do that. I don’t think he is against Beav because he also said that he appreciates all he’s done publically because it has helped a lot but he needed to cease making those kind of claims about Gruden and what “their” trying to accomplish.

Please excuse my ignorance but who is “PV”?

 

[Grand Vol]

We came this far, may as well die on the battlefield

I'm beyond Gruden at this point. If you can't attract a reputable coach by offering to double their salary, you aren't going to get any coach worth a darn.

This AD is completely and utterly hopeless and the atmosphere they, yes trolls, THEY created by trying to sneak in a sub par coach is like being inside the reactor room at Chernobyl.

 

[VolFan32]

This is tl,dr but here's my email to DiPietro:

President DiPietro,

I initially hesitated writing this email to you. I’m not even sure you’ll directly see it, but I feel as if I must try something.

I understand that the University of Tennessee System’s main focus is on obtaining the brightest minds in the state. I understand, being the son of a UTK PhD graduate in Chemical Engineering, how important higher education is. My father stressed this to me from as early as I can remember.

However, I also understand the importance that University of Tennessee athletics plays on practically everyone in this state. From an economic standpoint, many local restaurants, hotels, mom ‘n pop stores, etc. depend on Tennessee Football in the fall to stay in business. They plan on this extra revenue to survive as a business. If only 75,000-80,000 fans show up on Saturdays next fall, these businesses will fail.

On a personal level, I’m a 2010 graduate of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. As I mentioned above, my father received three degrees from UTK, my mother received her B.S. from UTK, and my brother is a 2008 graduate with a B.S. We have had season tickets to football games since the 1998 season. I have very vivid memories of almost every single game since 1998, and how fun it was as a family to attend games at Neyland Stadium at the height of excellence by the football team. Family memories were made tailgating, watching attending the Vol Walk, etc.

My father passed away one month before I graduated in 2010. My mother has held onto the football season tickets since he passed as a way of remembering him. Every game we go to, I remember the fun times we all had as a family and it helps keep the memories of my father fresh.

All of this is to say, from both a community perspective and a personal one, if John Currie is 1. Retained as Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics 2. Allowed to make a mediocre hire for head coach of the football team, the community will suffer from lack of people coming to games (this will also in turn hurt academics), and my family will no longer make any donations to the University of Tennessee Athletic Department or to the University. Many other people feel the same way. We’ve sat through mediocrity for 10 years, and have reached our boiling point.

Academics and Athletics can coexist. The University of Alabama is a great example of this. My father is a great example of this. This University can still achieve great academic excellence, while also achieving athletic excellence. In fact, the two can benefit each other.

Lastly, John Currie, and by extension the Haslam family, has caused the University of Tennessee to be an embarrassment over the last four days after attempting to hire a coach with ties to the Jerry Sandusky scandal at Penn State University. Mr. Currie must be removed as Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics. Phillip Fulmer or David Blackburn must be his replacement and be allowed to hire the new football coach, or the University of Tennessee has seen its last dollars from my family.

 

[ForkedDeerVol]

Want to see real **** storm. Watch Gruden take up for Vol fans on the Golic show.

 

[ShooterVFL]

I don’t believe enough fans will boycott anything. They know that. 90% of our fans are casual supporters and don’t know and don’t care about any power struggle or the need for change.

Think quality not quantity. Those casual fans aren’t the wind in the sail. When donations/season tickets etc take a hit, they will feel it.

 

[arkyvol]

First the Gruden unicorn, then the Schiano catastrophe, now it's the Gundy fiasco (that made about as much sense as another school trying to lure Fulmer away from U.T. in the 90's). Have we finally hit rock bottom?

 

[ButchPlz]

The more I think about it, the more I only see one way out of it. IF there was a MOU, which I’m beginning to doubt at this point, agreed to by Gruden or any other coach worth having you leak it. You find a respected reporter, Hargis for example, and you lay it all out. You force your hand just like Currie and Haslam tried to do. That’s the only way Currie gets removed. Period. All the calls, letters, and Tweets in the world are not making a difference. Clearly, the threat of pulling of funding doesn’t scare them because honestly, they know enough people will still support the product to make it sustainable. To win this fight, you must publicly shame them by proving there was a better alternative, and that Currie and Jimmy are the reason coaches aren’t coming.

If there was a MOU, or a viable story of meetings that could be substantiated by multiple sources, then you tell it today. Gruden, nor any other A level coach, isn’t coming with the way things are. You go to that person and say we are leaking this to remove the obstacles in the way. At this point leaking information really couldn’t make it worse on anyone but Currie.

This is the exact point of many of us on here last night, but up until now anyone that claims to have 'insider' information either is a total fraud LARPer or completely nutless. Very possibly both.

 

[VolDaddy87]

Lane just said he told Saban, "That's the last time you'll ever beat me" after the 2009 blocked FG game. I'm not saying all should be forgiven with Kiffin, but I guarantee Butch wouldn't have had the cajones to say that.

Totally off topic, just thought it was interesting.

 

[Kanga_Vol]

Again, PV was right on all accounts. Like he said, it was definitely an exciting day yesterday and way more public than ever before. He also was the first to say Gundy said no (hours before it was ever reported). He called Beav. out when he said they were working on having a coach public coach say something (later confirming he was talking about Gruden today on Golic) today, saying that he needed to stop making these claims and giving false hope because he could assure us all Gruden was NOT going to do that. I don’t think he is against Beav because he also said that he appreciates all he’s done publically because it has helped a lot but he needed to cease making those kind of claims about Gruden and what “their” trying to accomplish.

Correct me if I’m wrong (Long time lurker here) but isn’t this the same guy you won tickets to his box seats? Can you shed any light on who he is or at least his role in all of this?

 

[UTAlum03]

This isn’t about Gruden for me anymore. Currie should’ve been shown the door. I agree with another poster, yesterday wasn’t nothing but a show. To calm the masses.

They have no plans of getting rid of Currie. At all. The best thing to do now, put Fulmer in as interim and let him coach next year. Look for another AD in the process and go big next season.

I'm talking about the big booster overthrow of the AD with Ergen leading the charge theory. Gruden is not even on my radar now. I just want to get out of this with some dignity. I would love to see Currie fired immediately, but I think they're going to let him hire someone first. Worst case scenario playing out at the moment.

 

[revjayp]

Here's the thing- casual fans are the first to go when losses start mounting.

And we just came off of our first 8-loss season in history.

It's the diehards that have been keeping things going, and now we're sick of the stuff and we see the real problems.

Tennessee's AD revenues will suffer next year when we inevitably scrape the bottom of the outhouse (not even a barrel at this point) for our next coach.

I agree. But they are also the first to return. And you know what, I don’t think our other boosters have any balls. They seem to be spineless and lack the desire to push Haslam to the side. AtlantaVol cares but he’s one man. And I don’t know his level and if he has the influence to garner support.

 

[patrick]

As I stated in the other thread before this one, we are at a crossroads as a program right now.

The question is do we allow the devil (Haslam) to continue to lead us down that wrong path, or do we make our own destiny and step into the light.

We have the chance to not stay at the bottom, the right hire will do it, the problem is no one in the University or boosters seems to have the strength/stones to do anything about it.

Who has ever really toppled kings? Was it the armies they lead finally turning on them? The supposed next in line prince?

No it was the people, the down trodden, the looked over, the ones that are taken for granted.

Unless a nuclear option is used, mean dirty laundry to media/fans, there will be a new hire, it will happen in the middle of the night and then we will know what path we took.

To me, after these past few days, Haslam is the embodiment of the Joker.

The other boosters obviously didn't understand him. He can't be reasoned, bought, bullied or negotiated with, he just wants to watch UT burn.

I think the nuclear option is required at this juncture but I do not see the big money boosters going nuclear. That is just do not operate that way.

But yes the peasants and down trodden were often the deciding factor however we probably wont get that opportunity again.

 

[ALLVOL 4LIFE]

Want to see real **** storm. Watch Gruden take up for Vol fans on the Golic show.

That ship has sailed. He never mentioned Tennessee or college football on the show this morning.

 

[BogeyVol]

First the Gruden unicorn, then the Schiano catastrophe, now it's the Gundy fiasco (that made about as much sense as another school trying to lure Fulmer away from U.T. in the 90's). Have we finally hit rock bottom?

Nope. Got a way to go. The AD is still pushing down on the throttle full force.

 

[VolInNorthCack]

The more I think about it, the more I only see one way out of it. IF there was a MOU, which I’m beginning to doubt at this point, agreed to by Gruden or any other coach worth having you leak it. You find a respected reporter, Hargis for example, and you lay it all out. You force your hand just like Currie and Haslam tried to do. That’s the only way Currie gets removed. Period. All the calls, letters, and Tweets in the world are not making a difference. Clearly, the threat of pulling of funding doesn’t scare them because honestly, they know enough people will still support the product to make it sustainable. To win this fight, you must publicly shame them by proving there was a better alternative, and that Currie and Jimmy are the reason coaches aren’t coming.

If there was a MOU, or a viable story of meetings that could be substantiated by multiple sources, then you tell it today. Gruden, nor any other A level coach, isn’t coming with the way things are. You go to that person and say we are leaking this to remove the obstacles in the way. At this point leaking information really couldn’t make it worse on anyone but Currie.

This! This! This!

 

[SmokeyLives]

I did. But that was heat of the moment disgust. When they hire someone, all will be forgotten and forgiven by the casual fan. Read the Morris thread... there are people already liking that hire! He went 13-22 at SMU!

If you recall when Butch was hired, it took all the marketing effort available to get 80000 in Neyland for a game. I was at Fulmer’s last game, attendance was embarrassing. I believe that until any coach produces a winning product your ceiling in Neyland is 75000. If they hire Steele, Morris, or some other gullible goat, half empty Neyland will be unattainable.

And btw, I hate to say it, but I’m believing the Manning/Gruden package to the Browns is more believable the longer this draws out. Think about it. We’ve been played.

 

[zydane47]

Lane just said he told Saban, "That's the last time you'll ever beat me" after the 2009 blocked FG game. I'm not saying all should be forgiven with Kiffin, but I guarantee Butch wouldn't have had the cajones to say that.

Totally off topic, just thought it was interesting.

I've said to friends, I've said it on other threads here.

Kiffin is our Batman, he might not be the coach we deserve, but he's the one we need.

 

[newyorkvol]

I'm beyond Gruden at this point. If you can't attract a reputable coach by offering to double their salary, you aren't going to get any coach worth a darn.

This AD is completely and utterly hopeless and the atmosphere they, yes trolls, THEY created by trying to sneak in a sub par coach is like being inside the reactor room at Chernobyl.

I honestly think it’s the structure of our AD/University that keeps serious candidates away. They shackle the football program/athletics. Any good coach will want to call their own shots.

 

[tennvols77]

These threads have once again been a blast and offered a lot during the worst football season ever imaginable. Sometimes I feel like I should have done more the past 10 years and gotten involved and maybe a lot more of us should, and maybe things would be different.

But, just like politics, we aren't engaged and involved and participating where our participation needs to be. Even then, I don't know what would be different. I have money, not hundred million money, but enough to call it F you money, and I know people who have real money like the Haslam's, quite a few of them, and unfortunately, money makes the world go round and money talks and calls how all other's walk.

Keep hope alive for coasty, a brave captain going down with the ship, but I think I've gotten on the life raft and am beginning to see my beloved ship, and great people on it, begin to sink. Wish it weren't so, but these frigid waters have begun to hit my bones, and I'm feeling a little weaker than I did a few days ago.