Respecting Phillip Fulmer

#1
RDU VOL#14

RDU VOL#14

I’m a Flawed Character
Joined
Sep 11, 2007
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41,044
#1
You know I rarely post on this board, I'm sure there are people opening this thread saying "who the hell is this guy?" and "why should I care what he says?" and all that. I usually just enjoy casually getting everyone's two cents on the current state of our athletics and especially Football and occasionally posting. As we all know right now, our season from a championship perspective is over, there are 6 games remaining, we can't win the division and the idea of playing in Shreveport or Memphis or Nashville is very real and very tough to swallow. There are many to blame for our current record, but ultimately it falls on Coach Fulmer. It seems many of us have our own ideas or solutions to the multitude of problems w/ this year's team. Many solutions usually begin and end w/ firing Coach Fulmer. That's fine, I'm not going to sit here and give my thoughts on why he should stay or go. That's not the point I'm trying to make

What I will do is ask why so many of you feel the need to trash the guy personally?We all are in a position to question coaching decisions, from schemes to situational decisions, but I do think that the fat jokes, moving van jokes and for sale signs stuff is way over the top. This is not some coach that has been here for 3-5 years failed to make progress and now it's time to make a change. I totally understand the desire to make a change, but to ridicule a person and make that person a butt of a joke that has devoted the last 30 some odd years of his life to OUR program is pathetic. I'm willing to bet Coach has done more for this University than anybody on this board has ever or will ever come close to doing. It very well may be time for a change, sometimes starting fresh can help provide some much needed energy to a down program. I'm not arguing against it. I guess I'm challenging some of you to stop bashing the guy personally. It is truly embarrassing the way some of you conduct yourself on here. It's as if he has never done anything for our school and we just need to kick him to the curb. He doesn't deserve that from any UT fan. If he is no longer our head coach at the end of the year or even the end of tomorrow, he deserves to leave and be treated w/ respect, not the garbage that a lot of people on here have been spewing lately.

I know this is long so I will quit, so please proceed to rip me apart now. Except spare me any Johnny Majors and "here we go" stuff.
 
#2
#2
It's an anonymous message internet board. A keyboard and a monitor have a funny way of creating courage and depleting class.
 
#3
#3
I'm not courageous but the strong opinions have been with me and coming out of me for a very, very long time.
 
#4
#4
That money grab that he particpated in this summer with Sexton and Hamilton is one reason. Totally underserved and out of line with his market value or based on his recent record against top competition. Not to mention 9 years running with nothing of significance placed in the trophy case, his distant and hands off approach with the fans (compared with Pearl), and lack of discipline or player developement are all reasons for the animosity.
 
#5
#5
GAVol said:
It's an anonymous message internet board. A keyboard and a monitor have a funny way of creating courage and depleting class.
Click to expand...

my picture is right here. I support Fulmer 100% and will be at game Saturday and will be at vol walk so here is anyones chance to break my keyboard courage.
 
#7
#7
Well Put RDU#14.
Well Put.

I am one for Fulmer to resign and a change to happen at Tenn. . . But he still deserves to leave with dignity.....as long as he doesn't fully cross the "line"
 
#8
#8
I'm not going to rip you RDU, but I don't see how Fulmer can make statements about 95% of the fanbase not understanding football because they did not play the game and then expect the respect of those same fans. I try not to pile on the nastiness and stick to the numbers-based arguments but the guy does not seem willing to accept personal responsibility for what has happened and sometimes it gets under my skin to the point that I cannot help myself. I wish he would just quit. Now.
 
#10
#10
VolunteerHillbilly said:
I'm not going to rip you RDU, but I don't see how Fulmer can make statements about 95% of the fanbase not understanding football because they did not play the game and then expect the respect of those same fans. I try not to pile on the nastiness and stick to the numbers-based arguments but the guy does not seem willing to accept personal responsibility for what has happened and sometimes it gets under my skin to the point that I cannot help myself. I wish he would just quit. Several years ago when it was appropriate.
Click to expand...
fyp
 
#11
#11
VolunteerHillbilly said:
I don't see how Fulmer can make statements about 95% of the fanbase not understanding football because they did not play the game and then expect the respect of those same fans.
Click to expand...

I agree. I think the vast majority of fans have no clue when it comes to X's and O's, but they can all read a scoreboard which in the end is all that matters.
 
#12
#12
GAVol said:
I agree. I think the vast majority of fans have no clue when it comes to X's and O's, but they can all read a scoreboard which in the end is all that matters.
Click to expand...
for those who understand Xs and Os, it's even worse.
 
#14
#14
RDU VOL#14 said:
You know I rarely post on this board, I'm sure there are people opening this thread saying "who the hell is this guy?" and "why should I care what he says?" and all that. I usually just enjoy casually getting everyone's two cents on the current state of our athletics and especially Football and occasionally posting. As we all know right now, our season from a championship perspective is over, there are 6 games remaining, we can't win the division and the idea of playing in Shreveport or Memphis or Nashville is very real and very tough to swallow. There are many to blame for our current record, but ultimately it falls on Coach Fulmer. It seems many of us have our own ideas or solutions to the multitude of problems w/ this year's team. Many solutions usually begin and end w/ firing Coach Fulmer. That's fine, I'm not going to sit here and give my thoughts on why he should stay or go. That's not the point I'm trying to make

What I will do is ask why so many of you feel the need to trash the guy personally?We all are in a position to question coaching decisions, from schemes to situational decisions, but I do think that the fat jokes, moving van jokes and for sale signs stuff is way over the top. This is not some coach that has been here for 3-5 years failed to make progress and now it's time to make a change. I totally understand the desire to make a change, but to ridicule a person and make that person a butt of a joke that has devoted the last 30 some odd years of his life to OUR program is pathetic. I'm willing to bet Coach has done more for this University than anybody on this board has ever or will ever come close to doing. It very well may be time for a change, sometimes starting fresh can help provide some much needed energy to a down program. I'm not arguing against it. I guess I'm challenging some of you to stop bashing the guy personally. It is truly embarrassing the way some of you conduct yourself on here. It's as if he has never done anything for our school and we just need to kick him to the curb. He doesn't deserve that from any UT fan. If he is no longer our head coach at the end of the year or even the end of tomorrow, he deserves to leave and be treated w/ respect, not the garbage that a lot of people on here have been spewing lately.

I know this is long so I will quit, so please proceed to rip me apart now. Except spare me any Johnny Majors and "here we go" stuff.
Click to expand...

What he said. CPF needs to go, but let him do it with some Tennessee class. Let's hope he resigns to save embarrassment to himself, fans, and the university. :good!:
 
#17
#17
GAVol said:
I agree. I think the vast majority of fans have no clue when it comes to X's and O's, but they can all read a scoreboard which in the end is all that matters.
Click to expand...

And the stats on the computer, that stink this year!
 
#18
#18
PandamoniumReigns said:
Well Put RDU#14.
Well Put.

I am one for Fulmer to resign and a change to happen at Tenn. . . But he still deserves to leave with dignity.....as long as he doesn't fully cross the "line"
Click to expand...

I think the "leave with dignity" is completely in the hands of Fulmer, not the fans. He will leave with a lot more respect if he doesn't drag out this unpleasant process until it negatively affects recruiting and public perception of the university's football program.
 
#19
#19
If he does not resign after this season, the dignity and class that he deserves will slip out of the door.
 
#20
#20
billbattle said:
I think the "leave with dignity" is completely in the hands of Fulmer, not the fans. He will leave with a lot more respect if he doesn't drag out this unpleasant process until it negatively affects recruiting and public perception of the university's football program.
Click to expand...

You beat me to it. :hi:
 
#21
#21
I dance back and forth between being very angry at Fulmer for sticking around, and somehow feeling sorry for him.

I get angry because I feel like the longer he stays around, the worse off we will be.

He does need to go. I hope he facilitates a smooth transition by announcing his retirement. That would be ideal and would allow Vol fans to send him off to cheers rather than boos. However, we won't know how it is going to go until it actually happens.
 
#22
#22
I think is horrible the way Coach Fulmer is treating the university, its alumni, and its fans. The university gave him a full scholarship-he was allowed a free education, then they gave him a job, and now he is making around $3 million a year because of the opportunity given him by the school. And what does he do? He keeps on bringing ridicule on the school, destroys what was a great football program, and wastes the talents of many young men whose professional futures depend on him, when he knows it is in the best interest of everyone if he resigns. Just resign Phil and show respect for the University of Tennessee.
 
#23
#23
I respect the man and loved that he dedicated his life to UT. I attribute alot of my positive experiences while attending Tennessee to CPF. Saturdays in the Fall at Neyland were a blast and the crown jewel was a NC in my final year there. That was then, this is now.

There comes a point when you have to let go. CPF has to realize that he has held on too tight for too long. It shows in his demeanor on and off the feild. He is trying to rekindle a spark that has been dwindling for years now. IMO, 07 was the last of his magic. Sure Cut was back, but for whatever reason it worked and UT had a good year.

The man is at a definite crossroads. I think deep in his heart he believes that he can still be a winning coach. But is that his ego talking? I still want to believe in CPF, but he is making it very difficult, damn near impossible.

My point to all this is that the man has earned the right to finish out the year, at least in my eyes. However, if he decides to stick around and futher destroy this program anymore after this year, then all bets are off. I will always back UT, but if CPF won't leave after this year, it is clear then that he has shifted his attitude towards himself being more important than the program. That I can't respect.
 
#24
#24
Thank you Phil for the NC and a pretty good run. Please understand that every great player and every great coach eventually has to face reality. What stands out in my mind is Jim Kelly. The end came very fast , after playing in his 4th Super Bowl, the following year he couldn't hit the red side of a red barn. He realized his time was over and left the game with honor on his own terms. Please let Vol fans honor your time at UT and thank you for your tenure instead of the alternative.
 
#25
#25
I would really like to know what happened to rule #3 in the board rules thread.I too respect the man but hate how this program is going to he##.The pokes at Phil have gotten so old but I guess I have to remember that there are alot of teenagers on this board.
 
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