Randy Smith: An Open Letter to Butch Jones

#1
Sara Clark

Sara Clark

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#1

Randy Smith
I hope you enjoyed your post game victory cigar at Neyland Stadium on Saturday. I'm sure there are several boxes of 'Stogies" hidden deep in the confines of Neyland that haven't been used at all in the past twelve years; the last five attributed to your tenure as Tennessee's head coach. I guess the slogan, "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em." certainly fits. I also applaud the gesture that Alabama Coach Nick Saban gave when he hired you as a "special analyst" and handed you a salary of $30,000 a year. I hope that you will do the right thing and donate that $30,000 to the charity of your choice since you are still getting paid millions of dollars by the University of Tennessee to -not- be the head coach of the Volunteers.

That gloating smirk on your face with the stub of what was left of your cigar really told the story of how you feel about your time in the Volunteer state.

So, I think it's only fair to relay the feelings of thousands of Tennessee fans this morning about how they feel about your little celebration. Our program is in the worst shape it has ever been in thanks in large part to you. That 4-8 season in 2017 was the worst season in school history and I'm sure that 0-8 SEC record is a defining moment in your career. Now that you're a part of the Crimson Tide staff, you can look back with pride and say, "Look what I did my last year in Knoxville. I brought that once proud Tennessee program to its knees before I left with a multi-million dollar payout."

All the credit for the Vols' demise can't really be credited to you though Butch. Lane Kiffin had a hand in it and so did three years under Derek Dooley. But your fingerprints all all over the last five out of nine years of less than mediocre football in Knoxville. I do have to hand it to you though. You did bring in some really good recruiting classes, but something happened to those four and five star athletes you signed. Some never made the field while others never developed as outstanding college players after stellar high school careers. I guess player development just isn't one of your strong points.

You did leave us with some really clever cliches though. The "Champions of Life" declaration was perhaps the best, and I also liked the "Brick by Brick" slogan you came up with in your first year. And that "Five star Hearts" slogan was a classic. I wonder what you may have in store for Alabama now that your a valuable member of Saban's staff. I can't wait to find out.

Once again congratulations on that 58-20 win on Saturday. I'm sure your are so proud of your accomplishment. To be able to stand in that visiting locker room and smoke that victory cigar must be a career highlight for you. Remember one thing though. These winning streaks go in cycles. It wasn't long ago that Alabama was the laughing stock of the SEC when Mike DuBose and Mike Price were fired for their indiscretions and that other "Mike", Mike Shula couldn't get it done either. Nick Saban isn't going to coach forever and when he does finally retire you better hope Alabama can find the next great college coach or they may be looking up at Tennessee and Auburn again in the SEC. Maybe Coach Saban can then hire you as his personal assistant when he retires.

Sincerely,
Randy Smith and thousands of other Tennessee fans.
 
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#8
#8
volfannbama said:
Are you officially with biggest crybabies in college football?
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You really outta take a step back. Randy wrote this in the opinion section of a local outlet. He was inducted to the Tennessee Journalism Hall of Fame this summer.

His comments are every bit as worthy as yours, and he gave them without talking about other fans.

Longtime broadcaster and online columnist Randy Smith is among seven journalists who have been inducted in the Tennessee Journalism Hall of Fame.

This is the hall's sixth class and it also includes East Tennessee cartoonist Charlie Daniel; veteran Middle Tennessee journalist and journalism advocate Frank Gibson; Les Leverett, a world-renowned photographer of stars at Nashville's Grand Ole Opry; 10-time Emmy Award-winning Nashville reporter and anchor Bob Mueller, of WKRN-TV; longtime sportscaster Randy Smith; the late investigative reporter and columnist Jerry Thompson; and Dan Whittle, co-founder of the hall of fame and radio show co-host at WGNS.
Click to expand...
 
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#10
#10
Sara Clark said:
Randy Smith
I hope you enjoyed your post game victory cigar at Neyland Stadium on Saturday. I'm sure there are several boxes of 'Stogies" hidden deep in the confines of Neyland that haven't been used at all in the past twelve years; the last five attributed to your tenure as Tennessee's head coach. I guess the slogan, "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em." certainly fits. I also applaud the gesture that Alabama Coach Nick Saban gave when he hired you as a "special analyst" and handed you a salary of $30,000 a year. I hope that you will do the right thing and donate that $30,000 to the charity of your choice since you are still getting paid millions of dollars by the University of Tennessee to -not- be the head coach of the Volunteers.

That gloating smirk on your face with the stub of what was left of your cigar really told the story of how you feel about your time in the Volunteer state.

So, I think it's only fair to relay the feelings of thousands of Tennessee fans this morning about how they feel about your little celebration. Our program is in the worst shape it has ever been in thanks in large part to you. That 4-8 season in 2017 was the worst season in school history and I'm sure that 0-8 SEC record is a defining moment in your career. Now that you're a part of the Crimson Tide staff, you can look back with pride and say, "Look what I did my last year in Knoxville. I brought that once proud Tennessee program to its knees before I left with a multi-million dollar payout."

All the credit for the Vols' demise can't really be credited to you though Butch. Lane Kiffin had a hand in it and so did three years under Derek Dooley. But your fingerprints all all over the last five out of nine years of less than mediocre football in Knoxville. I do have to hand it to you though. You did bring in some really good recruiting classes, but something happened to those four and five star athletes you signed. Some never made the field while others never developed as outstanding college players after stellar high school careers. I guess player development just isn't one of your strong points.

You did leave us with some really clever cliches though. The "Champions of Life" declaration was perhaps the best, and I also liked the "Brick by Brick" slogan you came up with in your first year. And that "Five star Hearts" slogan was a classic. I wonder what you may have in store for Alabama now that your a valuable member of Saban's staff. I can't wait to find out.

Once again congratulations on that 58-20 win on Saturday. I'm sure your are so proud of your accomplishment. To be able to stand in that visiting locker room and smoke that victory cigar must be a career highlight for you. Remember one thing though. These winning streaks go in cycles. It wasn't long ago that Alabama was the laughing stock of the SEC when Mike DuBose and Mike Price were fired for their indiscretions and that other "Mike", Mike Shula couldn't get it done either. Nick Saban isn't going to coach forever and when he does finally retire you better hope Alabama can find the next great college coach or they may be looking up at Tennessee and Auburn again in the SEC. Maybe Coach Saban can then hire you as his personal assistant when he retires.

Sincerely,
Randy Smith and thousands of other Tennessee fans.
Click to expand...

Well written; hope somehow he reads it.........
 
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#12
#12
Volstar65 said:
Lets just be happy he isn't here any longer. Him with that stick in his mouth means nothing other than he couldn't accomplish such a feat on his watch. He certainly isn't worth writing a long letter to as a coach. Brighter days will come.
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Agreed... It was completely benign. No point in giving him this much space in your head.
 
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#14
#14
vollygirl said:
You really outta take a step back. Randy wrote this in the opinion section of a local outlet. He was inducted to the Tennessee Journalism Hall of Fame this summer.

His comments are every bit as worthy as yours, and he gave them without talking about other fans.
Click to expand...
Just because someone is inducted into the hall of fame doesnt mean everything they do is great. And for the "talking about other fans" he literally signed it "thousands of other Tennessee fans"
I guess this was published, makes pur fanbase sound like a bunch of crybabies. We cant talk about the performance on the field, so this is what we talk about.

Reminds me of that adele song hello....pretty good song until you realize that she is the crazy chic stalking her ex.
 
#15
#15
utvolpj said:
I know it's minor but I just can't get past the fact a hof writer couldn't get the score right.
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Lol... Damn straight! That's our highest point total against them in 15 years.

A prime example of one of those times when he probably should have just written an article, breathed deeply and hit delete.
 
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#19
#19
GAVol said:
Every time I see Randy Smith's name, I think about the PPV game where he did commentary and kept referring to us making a 16 yard FG.... which is mathematically impossible.
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I remember that. You were very upset about it :)
 
#22
#22
GAVol said:
Every time I see Randy Smith's name, I think about the PPV game where he did commentary and kept referring to us making a 16 yard FG.... which is mathematically impossible.
Click to expand...
Look here crazy, it was possible when the post were in front.
 
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#24
#24
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