People upset over Phil

[Thunder Good-Oil]

What in the hell does that tangent have to do with anything? Other than demonstrating that you really have no depth of understanding the critical importance of this AD hire, of course.

You don't understand that the football coach IS THE SUPERIOR POSITION at the University of Tennessee?

 

['Boro-vol]

Because the pool of candidates that he's filled the open UTC coaching positions with weren't far beyond the high school level.

Based upon what? The performance of the individual programs in their league? No disrespect, I think you're all wet on this one. UTC has national championship caliber programs in multiple sports. That cannot be dismissed because they are Division II. Blackburn is not coaching....He's putting the right pieces in place and providing support and guidance. No matter where they came from, if he's responsible for them being there it's a feather in his cap from a personel standpoint.

You want to talk about hiring SNAFU's let's talk about Dave Clawsen.

 

['Boro-vol]

Do we want a visible figurehead who has the potential to get us all rowing in the same direction to recapture the glory days? Or do we want the guy with the best resume? Right now, I'd say motivator-in-chief is more important than technical expertise. While DB may be a rockstar in the world of ADs he is, respectfully, nobody to 90%+ of our fanbase.

Give me the qualified guy anyday...Especially when our AD is in the disarray it has been in for about a decade. This goes well beyond football.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Fulmer's success was in one portion of the AD. Blackburn worked in several different areas of the UTAD before becoming an actual AD. Blackburn is clearly, and you cannot debate it without looking bad, more qualified to run the UTAD right now.

All that you have to do is look at Blackburn's recent tweets and his pissing match with a top level booster to see that he might not be the ideal candidate for this particular job.

 

[VolunteerHillbilly]

I agree with all your assessments outside of the comment that Bill Battle was not a good head coach.

His overall winning percentage in regular season and bowl games is better than average....

Bill Battle


Career Record: 7 Years, 59-22-2, .723 Win% (at major schools)

Bowl Record: 5 Games, 4-1, .800 Win% (at major schools)

Not to turn the thread into a debate on this point but let's be honest and say that BB directed the slow erosion of what Dickey built. The record and the roster both moved in the wrong direction on his watch and it took a TN man coming off a national championship at Pitt several years to fix it.

 

['Boro-vol]

You don't understand that the football coach IS THE SUPERIOR POSITION at the University of Tennessee?

The football fans view is sort of the problem.

We have way too many football fans, and not enough Vols.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Do we want a visible figurehead who has the potential to get us all rowing in the same direction to recapture the glory days? Or do we want the guy with the best resume? Right now, I'd say motivator-in-chief is more important than technical expertise. While DB may be a rockstar in the world of ADs he is, respectfully, nobody to 90%+ of our fanbase.

He might be a rock star, but he's only fronting Loverboy.

 

[dbarker]

I understand you probably wanted Blackburn, but the reasons NOT to hire Phil I don't think are very solid. After all Bill Battle wasn't a good Head Coach, but just look where he got Alabama football. (Obviously Phil was light years above Bill)

I'm looking at the situation this way, even tho he has never been an AD before I think if he didn't have enough knowledge they wouldn't consider the hire, what would be t
And on a final note I think what Phil brings to the table as a recruiter can definitely translate to his new position with making hires, influencing boosters, ect ect.

I get not everyone will like the hire, I just don't understand why everyone is being so nasty about someone who loves the place so much. Hell he could of taken another job after we fired him, but didn't because he loves this place so much because this is the only place he wants to be.

How is that not someone you want in charge of Tennessee athletics?!?

I think it is funny that people are saying he has no experience. He spent well over 20 years working directly with the AD at the time... tell me at any job you have had that you worked with your boss, didn't you figure out almost exactly was his job is and how he does it within the first 3-5 years??? Yea Fulmer was there for 20+ to say he wouldn't know hat to do is as asinine.

That being said still would prefer Blackburn, but I'd settle for Fulmer.

 

[chargervol]

All that you have to do is look at Blackburn's recent tweets and his pissing match with a top level booster to see that he might not be the ideal candidate for this particular job.

I got to admit, that took me way off guard.
From someone who has reached legendary status on VN as a decision-maker, that sure seemed like a poor one if DB wanted the job.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

I agree with all your assessments outside of the comment that Bill Battle was not a good head coach.

His overall winning percentage in regular season and bowl games is better than average....

Bill Battle


Career Record: 7 Years, 59-22-2, .723 Win% (at major schools)

Bowl Record: 5 Games, 4-1, .800 Win% (at major schools)

His record was worse every year further removed from what Dickey left for him and his recruiting fell off of the map.

 

[m1al]

Give me the qualified guy anyday...Especially when our AD is in the disarray it has been in for about a decade. This goes well beyond football.

Even though I agree with you, I think you're wasting your 'breath'.. Many on here idolize Phil and his actual qualifications take a back seat.. I don't think Phil is the worst we can do but he's not the best either and that is what the BoT SHOULD be shooting for.. However, they will do what they do and hire the middle of the road, safe, feel good candidate...


Business as usual...

 

['Boro-vol]

Even though I agree with you, I think you're wasting your 'breath'.. Many on here idolize Phil and his actual qualifications take a back seat.. I don't think Phil is the worst we can do but he's not the best either and that is what the BoT SHOULD be shooting for.. However, they will do what they do and hire the middle of the road, safe, feel good candidate...


Business as usual...

I agree on all points. I'm not distraught over the hire, just disappointed that it's obviously politics as usual on the Hill. Only UT could screw up this slam dunk hire. Sonetimes it looks like they can't find their @ss with both hands over there.

 

[volfan2024]

I can't see how Fulmer could be any worse than anyone else. It's all a gamble. Besides, he's the one that will excuse Tyler Summitt and bring him into the Vols (Lady) coaching arena where he belongs one day.

 

[VolunteerHillbilly]

He might be a rock star, but he's only fronting Loverboy.

The Kid Is Hot Tonight rocks.

 

[sonofUT62]

If you're going to go there, then tell us about Blackburn's Natty.

That's a terrible correlation. Very few people win NCs. Fulmer had to be given 6 million dollars to go away from a University that gave him every opportunity to succeed. Also I'm pretty sure that UTC was the first school in their conference history to win 5 conference titles in a single season.

 

[VolunteerHillbilly]

I got to admit, that took me way off guard.
From someone who has reached legendary status on VN as a decision-maker, that sure seemed like a poor one if DB wanted the job.

I'm going to assume that was done after he got the news that we're all currently processing. Disappointment is hard to keep to oneself in the age of social media. I won't hold it against him.

 

[sonofUT62]

I can't see how Fulmer could be any worse than anyone else. It's all a gamble. Besides, he's the one that will excuse Tyler Summitt and bring him into the Vols (Lady) coaching arena where he belongs one day.

Yeah a University that just settled a multi million dollar lawsuit should bring in a male coach who had an affair with a female player. Very bright.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Based upon what? The performance of the individual programs in their league? No disrespect, I think you're all wet on this one. UTC has national championship caliber programs in multiple sports. That cannot be dismissed because they are Division II. Blackburn is not coaching....He's putting the right pieces in place and providing support and guidance. No matter where they came from, if he's responsible for them being there it's a feather in his cap from a personel standpoint.

You want to talk about hiring SNAFU's let's talk about Dave Clawsen.

There's this thing called the Peter Principle. There is no guarantee that Blackburn would be successful at the highest level of college sports administration. His Rolodex being loaded with lower division contacts doesn't necessarily translate to getting the job done at the D-1. P-5 level. But if getting the correct detergent requisitioned to wash the jocks with is the most important aspect, then Blackburn is the probably right guy for the job.

 

['Boro-vol]

Yeah a University that just settled a multi million dollar lawsuit should bring in a male coach who had an affair with a female player. Very bright.

Why not? We're hiring the namesake of the Fulmer Cup as our AD.

 

[MWAVolfan]

Hiring Fulmer is by far and away the fastest way to get rid of Butch.

In my minds eye I see Fulmer taking one of those big meat hooks of his with his gigantic national championship ring on it and cracking Lyle's dope head open like a ripe melon. "Let me teach you about playing tough til the end"

 

[SaintLouisVol]

Fulmer will kill it raising money, which is about 90% of the job.

 

[volnbama_]

I understand you probably wanted Blackburn, but the reasons NOT to hire Phil I don't think are very solid. After all Bill Battle wasn't a good Head Coach, but just look where he got Alabama football. (Obviously Phil was light years above Bill)

I'm looking at the situation this way, even tho he has never been an AD before I think if he didn't have enough knowledge they wouldn't consider the hire, what would be the point?

And on a final note I think what Phil brings to the table as a recruiter can definitely translate to his new position with making hires, influencing boosters, ect ect.

I get not everyone will like the hire, I just don't understand why everyone is being so nasty about someone who loves the place so much. Hell he could of taken another job after we fired him, but didn't because he loves this place so much because this is the only place he wants to be.

How is that not someone you want in charge of Tennessee athletics?!?

Bill Battle did absolutely nothing for the Alabama football program except take over when they were already rolling

 

[savannahfan]

I'm personally fine with the hire. Phil knows the workings of UT inside and out and there is absolutely no doubt he will make decisions based on what's best for the school. The man has devoted the majority of his life to TN as a player and coach.

Not to argue, but, is this the same place that he left?? Seems the direction and emphasis has turn more toward academia since he had a hand in things. I wonder how he will react in this environment?

 

['Boro-vol]

There's this thing called the Peter Principle. There is no guarantee that Blackburn would be successful at the highest level of college sports administration. His Rolodex being loaded with lower division contacts doesn't necessarily translate to getting the job done at the D-1. P-5 level. But if getting the correct detergent requisitioned to wash the jocks with is the most important aspect, then Blackburn is the probably right guy for the job.

This discussion is pointless since you obviously have no concept of what David Blackburn was responsible for here at the University of Tennessee, and you are apparently unwilling to accept what kind of job he's done at a very high level Division II program, that has won multiple National Championships under his oversight.

You sir, are a UT Football fan.

 

[Probably_in_Class]

Fulmer will kill it raising money, which is about 90% of the job.

If you think that, you don't understand the job. Hamilton was a great fundraiser. Look how well that went...