Only One Question Remains for me.

#26
#26
As an FYI Nico is about to learn Tennessee has no state income tax whereas most states do, especially those on the West coast. He has to pull about $2.5 million in California just to break even to where he was in Tennessee. I'm almost willing to catch a plane and lay a bet in Vegas Nico ends up somewhere else for less money than he had in Knoxville.
 
#27
#27
I'm through with the Niko I'm leavin drama. I've read all the posts and seen the videos. I only have one conjectual question left. Do you think Niko had this scenario all planned out with a NIL agreement in his pocket or do you think he really thought Tennessee would come up with the money under pressure? Do you think he was genuinely surprised by Tennessee's obstinence or his team had this all figured out? Why would he go to a team meeting Thursday night and wait for the orange and white game to spring this on the team? Oh, well I am a Joe Milton fan and now a Merk fan!

Nico was listening to his father and got really bad advice.

IMO, I think if it were up to Nico he would still be at Tennessee.
 
#32
#32
The timing with the O&W game seems to me he wasn’t all in on leaving. His team thought he was ‘that good’ and Tennessee would give it up np. Honestly, when it first began I thought we would give him the money. Then when he skipped practice our hand was forced. It was an amateur business move.
 
#33
#33
I think Nico felt confident UT would meet his demands. UT had built the system around him, and he was the only real star returning. The fanbase was also all in on Nico, and that fact was not lost on him. He probably felt as though the coaches were scared to upset us. Also note that in the weeks leading up to this, the sports media (USA Today, Yahoo Sports, etc) were posting articles that pretty much said that Tennessee would be crazy to let him get away. US Today Sports wrote, "Unless Tennessee wants to intentionally crater its program, it will pay what Iamaleava wants." You know Nico and his crew, especially his father, read those stories. I sense it was his support group, especially his father, that was pushing this, not so much Nico. He is too young to be thinking strategically like this. I think he genuinely loved UT and was loyal, but the folks around him convinced him that they could get him a better deal. He probably thought they were smart enough to get it done, so he let them try. I'm glad CJH rejected him and sent him packing, and I look forward to what's coming.

On a side note, I'm guessing he was shocked when UT announced they were moving on without him. I bet he had some pretty heated discussions with his crew. He's probably not feeling real good right now, staring at the prospect of playing for Texas Tech or Indiana.
 
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#35
#35
The timing with the O&W game seems to me he wasn’t all in on leaving. His team thought he was ‘that good’ and Tennessee would give it up np. Honestly, when it first began I thought we would give him the money. Then when he skipped practice our hand was forced. It was an amateur business move.
His dad was all in on leaving. Nico just did what he was told
 
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#36
#36
I'm through with the Niko I'm leavin drama. I've read all the posts and seen the videos. I only have one conjectual question left. Do you think Niko had this scenario all planned out with a NIL agreement in his pocket or do you think he really thought Tennessee would come up with the money under pressure? Do you think he was genuinely surprised by Tennessee's obstinence or his team had this all figured out? Why would he go to a team meeting Thursday night and wait for the orange and white game to spring this on the team? Oh, well I am a Joe Milton fan and now a Merk fan!
Tennessee should take the money they were paying Nico and hit the spring Portal. Get WRs, and O-linemen
 
#37
#37
Bottom line daddy and his agent taught him a valuable life lesson about FAFO.Cudos to them although they look like the 2 biggest idiots to ever take a dump between 2 soles.
 
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#38
#38
Nico was listening to his father and got really bad advice.

IMO, I think if it were up to Nico he would still be at Tennessee.
It's all rumors right now. But the timing for Nico is downright bad. Hard to believe that what happened was in the grand scheme. My feeling right now is that Nico/family may have tested the waters on something, it got out of their control, the staff confronted it, and the wheels came off forcing him into the portal. All feelings that may change w some facts. Nonetheless, unless NI has a backdoor deal already locked in, then this looks like a really bad decision/ outcome for him. Time will tell.
 
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#39
#39
I'm through with the Niko I'm leavin drama. I've read all the posts and seen the videos. I only have one conjectual question left. Do you think Niko had this scenario all planned out with a NIL agreement in his pocket or do you think he really thought Tennessee would come up with the money under pressure? Do you think he was genuinely surprised by Tennessee's obstinence or his team had this all figured out? Why would he go to a team meeting Thursday night and wait for the orange and white game to spring this on the team? Oh, well I am a Joe Milton fan and now a Merk fan!
Don't know. I miss the pre NIL era. Never has there been this much drama in football. Man, Nico really let us down. All this crap is killing the sport.
 
#40
#40
As I read this thread, it dawns on me, yep - Nico and company might had overestimated their worth. He's ranked middle of the pack for the SEC and came in on his redshirt season as the greatest thing since sliced bread. I also saw Tony Vitello's recruiting statement saying if you are just coming to Tennessee for a money squeeze, go somewhere else.

Even the Miami football coach saying similar things. I think coaches are tired of underachievers being pushy. I think many other in the coaching profession are happy that Tennessee told him to walk. Precedent needs to be set.

And let's not weep for Nico - With my engineering degree from U of T, Nico's already made more $ than I have. If I was 20 with several million, I find a good financial advisor, and invest and live on compound interest and Maybe meet Jimbo Fisher and go fishing using his $75 million buyout that he got for not being the coach TAM wanted.
 
#43
#43
I was told by a booster Nico or someone in his group contacted Oregon this past week and said he would enter the portal for them if they met his $ demands. The Oregon coach called Hype and reported it to him. Can't guarantee how factual this is but it was a booster who knows some things and there is a lot of previous contact rumors out there..
I think this was true. I saw a report that Oregon isn't interested in him
 
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#44
#44
I think the Nico camp wanted to play games under the radar and let Tennessee see just enough smoke to be amenable to a deal. They never wanted the general public to know; just quiet blackmail of the school. They never contemplated that Tennessee would call their bluff. Once the games became public thought it and it was time to make a decision; they foolishly tried to play a last gasp game of chicken.
This did not go at all the way Nico’s camp had planned it. Kudos to Heupel and White for standing firm.
 
#46
#46
I was told by a booster Nico or someone in his group contacted Oregon this past week and said he would enter the portal for them if they met his $ demands. The Oregon coach called Hype and reported it to him. Can't guarantee how factual this is but it was a booster who knows some things and there is a lot of previous contact rumors out there..
Yup, it’s like if you have a girlfriend and she is texting other guys behind your back. Works fine until one of the girls who isn’t interested let’s you know.
 
#47
#47
We are going to have SO MANY 30 for 30 segments.
I love Tennessee! Don't need to watch "Days of our Lives" or reality TV. I'm a died in the wool Vol fan and I have never been bored! From Butch's bricks to Cornbread's coupons to robbing your patrons gas stations this team has never disapointed
 
#48
#48
I love Tennessee! Don't need to watch "Days of our Lives" or reality TV. I'm a dyed in the wool Vol fan and I have never been bored! From Butch's bricks to Cornbread's coupons to robbing your patrons gas stations this team has never disapointed
I love all of it too, part of being a Vol fan! From Schiano Sunday to Grumours, the stories we have to pass down to the next generations.
 

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