First off, I am an alumni of the University. Although I'm not a Tennessee Resident, I am a taxpayer and do may frequent trips to Knoxville and pay taxes there on everything I purchase.
That said if this remark means what I think it means, then yes, I am offended by it. I'm assuming it means you think that nobody other than an alumni of the University of Tennessee should be able to weigh in on the Football program or the management of it or the costs and expenses associated with it. Frankly, you are wrong.
The University of Tennessee Football program is owned by a public owned university not a private enterprise. The University of Tennessee receives funds from the State Government, Federal Government, and I assume in some minor capacity the city and county governments. As a taxpaying citizen I feel like I am part owner in ANY government owned entity that spends my tax dollars. As an owner of those entities I feel like I have to right to express my opinion good or bad of their operation and expenditures of my money.
I frankly don't give a wit how the Athletic Department thinks it gets it's money and where they think they are allowed to spend it. I understand that until the University of Tennessee Athletic Department becomes a privately owned corporation apart from the University and the Government I and the rest of the taxpayers ought to be able to voice opinions on it's operation at will and use our political representatives to correct problems we see with the operation of said department.
As is, every time a game is played in Knoxville the taxpayers are out some significant expense. I don't imagine that any of the hundreds of police officers out directing traffic, handling drunks, working accidents, or whatever are doing so free of charge. I'm pretty sure we are out some money. There's ambulance services, fire services, bus services, street sweeping, litter pick up, homeland security, and the list grows from there. Heck, even the TWRA spends sportsman's dollars patrolling the river for the Vol Navy.
I understand that some taxpayers make money off these games (those that own restaurants, motels, etc). Those that are making money off the games likely want their voice heard regarding some decisions. For example it may be more advantageous for motels for the games to be evening games than the 11:30 am game. It's not necessary that these taxpayers be graduates of the University. I'm sure they donate heavily for the right to have a voice in the process.
As for a lot of us, looking at an Athletic Department and it's CEO that spent untold millions to dispose of Phillip Fulmer after affording him a contract that left the department with absolutely no leverage in the deal, then turn around and let Kiffin and Co take advantage of the department financially again, and then turn around and contract with a 3rd coach in 3 years at 4 times his previous salary when half that amount of money would likely have gotten him, Yes, I'd say it is past time for the taxpayers to step in and say "Wait just a minute, what are you doing with OUR money." See, when it's a public owned corporation, it's not the Corporation's money, it's the Public's Money and that's me and every other John Q Taxpayer.
If they Athletic department are so overrun with money that it can afford multi million dollar management mistakes every year, It might be that the profits from the Athletic Department ought to be going into the Education Department to reduce their increasing demand for more tax dollars from Us, Johnny Q Taxpayers.
I know that since you are either a current student or alumni you must surely have taken some Economics courses. The problem is real world economics and the economics of Government are 2 different thing. In the real world when the till gets below the 0 you have to either borrow money and actually pay it back or go out of business. In the Government world you just borrow money and when the interest on the borrowed money gets to be more than the current income you borrow more money to cover the interest until you tick of all your creditors and WWIII starts. Pay attention to the Real World because the Government version isn't working out very well at the moment.
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