Vols AD drops the ball on coaching hire

#4
#4
Does this guy have a crystal ball? Can he see the future? I'm not going to say Dooley was my favorite choice but this talk about being UTC is ridiculous. Why can't anyone wait and see what he does. He's been on the job a matter of hours. As for the hiring process being bumbled, give me a break. I blame the media for a lot of that. Every other hour there were headlines that Tenn was set to hire this guy or that guy. The sports media is out of control. The little research I've done on Dooley, I feel a little more comfortable. I'm not going to reserve judgement until he gets some recruits and gets the kids on the field. I wish him the best.
 
#5
#5
So what!! They will eat crow, just like I did for supporting the last POS


Amen. LSU message boards are praising this hire and some are saying that they would like to have Dooley now. This will be another Bruce Pearl hire in my opinion.
 
#6
#6
I agree with Hamilton screwing things up. Only, it started with the firing of Fulmer. Don't get your panties in a bunch......I wanted fulmer gone too, it's just the way he handled it. Now, to the article. How can this clown say that this is a bad hire? Doesn't everyone know that the true test of a recruiting class is realized three years later, not NSD? The same goes for a coach. This is an article from some jerk who thinks he's a journalist!
 
#7
#7
whether this hire was botched or not just be glad the clown and his staff have left town before we began hearing talks of major violations coming our way
 
#8
#8
We received the same press last year. Not sure how this one is going to work out either. Guess just have to wait. At least this time he didn't give the head coach a raise after 8 wins clause.
 
#10
#10
so far and his past record indicates he is a class act and certainly has the experience to be given a shot, I believe in him and I think we all should for the betterment of the program!
 
#12
#12
I can't see a whole lot that is inaccurate there. I hope just as much as everyone that DD will be successful at Tennessee, and he might be, but the whole hiring progress was an embarrassment. We can't assume this hire was a great hire just because we wish it to be so (and I desperately wish it). A program with the stature and tradition of Tennessee deserves a proven winner. I don't see that with this hire. Florida and Alabama pulled out the stops and went after the best they could get, resulting in these schools winning 3 of 4 national championships. I am afraid that Mike Hamilton truly believes that the Tennessee job is not as desirable as most Tennessee fans think it is, and he may be right, but this belief has caused him to sell the program short. When NS took over at Alabama we all knew, even if we didn't admit it, that Alabama had a 100% chance of success. What percentage would you give UT with this hire?
 
#14
#14
I support DD and hope he does a good job. I do agree that MH is an idiot for giving an ultimatum to Cut after he left Ole Miss for the same reason. Have to admire Cut for standing his ground.
 
#15
#15
He could be right but I'm willing to give Double D a chance. Can't be any worse than the last hire can it?
 
#16
#16
Perhaps Dooley will work out, perhaps he won't. This article isn't about Dooley though, it's about Hamilton, and we all have to admit that Hamilton--based on the information we currently have--did not do a great job with this hire. We were publicly turned down by numerous coaches at so-so places (how do you think it looks to recruits when the head coaches of Air Force and Duke are turning you down left and right). When we finally selected a guy, we went with a guy coming off of a typical 4-8 season at a crappy Louisiana school. Personally, I think a guy like Al Golden made more sense based on the information that Hamilton had avaiable. He went from a 1 win season in his first year to a 9 win season this year (his fourth) at a school that has been absolutely atrocious. Every year his team won more games. Dooley's team took a step back this year.

I'm not saying in a year, or two, or three, we won't look back and be thrilled with Dooley, I'm just saying as of right now, it is not an impressive hire for this tradition rich program like UT. Remember, a blind pig occasionally finds an acorn. That doesn't mean the pig has any skills.
 
#17
#17
True, UF and UA did pull out the stops, but they fired their former coaches, and didn't loose them two weeks before NSD. They had the time to go out and look, Hamilton didn't. And, I'm not defending Hamilton here, but I do understand the difference. We were snowed by him when he said that he "always had coaches in mind" in case something like this happens. Truth is, he didn't. I believe if this had been druing the summer, we could have gotten a "bigger name" coach, but not sure if the results of win/loss would be any different 3 years down the road.
 
#18
#18
I think DD will be OK. I think the writer is saying that MH did not look at all the candidates before making a decision and had some time to do a more thorough search. Apparently MH has a very narrow view when making a decsion.
 
#19
#19
I feel good about this hire, but living in Big Ten country, this article sums up how people feel about the coaching search.

One way to change their opinions and hopefully CDD is the guy to do it.
 
#20
#20
The issues about Cut and holding the old staff are not true. I know that for a fact. Not to mention they are now being let go... Everyone needs to get hold of themselves and settle down. Let the guy have a chance to work. Things take time to happen. As for the old staff those that are connected to Kiff were waiting to be fired to collect the pay out. Again, I know this for a fact. I monitor this site but I do not post as I do not want to aruge with the emotional vomit that some of the people on this site carry on with everyday. But I finally had enough of the crazy talk. Everyone can have their opinion but for the love of everything holy grow up and stop spouting off with the crazy neagtive outburst. I am very fortunate to be pretty well connected within the program (more so than 95% of the people on this site) but I do not know everything that goes into the decisions that are made. Like it or not you have to let these people do thier jobs. I promise as all knowing as some of you think you are the people in the know are better able to handle this than you. Let it play out, no coach is a slam dunk. Support our new coach and help him find success. If he is a bust then he will be replaced. It took AL almost 20 years and 6 different staffs to find the top again. Kiff did some good things as far as energy but keep in mind he only went 7-6 with his super staff and we were humbled by VT. For what it is worth the feeling among the players is very very positive. Just becasue he is not the sexy hire it does not mean he will not be a great HC. That tub at Notre Dame was a sexy hire and look how that turned out. Neyland would be spit on by people on this forum becasue he would not be sexy enough.
 
#21
#21
I can't see a whole lot that is inaccurate there. I hope just as much as everyone that DD will be successful at Tennessee, and he might be, but the whole hiring progress was an embarrassment. We can't assume this hire was a great hire just because we wish it to be so (and I desperately wish it). A program with the stature and tradition of Tennessee deserves a proven winner. I don't see that with this hire. Florida and Alabama pulled out the stops and went after the best they could get, resulting in these schools winning 3 of 4 national championships. I am afraid that Mike Hamilton truly believes that the Tennessee job is not as desirable as most Tennessee fans think it is, and he may be right, but this belief has caused him to sell the program short. When NS took over at Alabama we all knew, even if we didn't admit it, that Alabama had a 100% chance of success. What percentage would you give UT with this hire?

well said
 
#22
#22
I totally agree with the article but it fails to mention the easy choice of keeping Kippy. Kippy would have improved the status of the program, built a great coaching staff from the remains of the old staff, kept the recruits, and excited the fan base.

This was a very poor decision by the powers that be. We will look back at this in 3 years when we have an empty stadium and wonder what might have been. It reminds me very much of Bob Woodruff's egotistic mistake in January of 1970 in hiring an unknown to lead this great program and it took about 15 years to get the talent back.

As for hiring Dooley, I think that it shows that in comparison with what is going on at other programs in this conference that UT is willing to settle for mediocrity. The irony is that when it comes time to ask for donations and evaluating the price of tickets they think they are driving a high class program.

Two points here:
1) This fan base is not that stupid
2) This thing is in shambles.

And no, the sky is not falling. It fell in 2005 when they failed to fire a lazy legend who thought that he owned the program, just like his predecessor.
 
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#23
#23
Perhaps Dooley will work out, perhaps he won't. This article isn't about Dooley though, it's about Hamilton, and we all have to admit that Hamilton--based on the information we currently have--did not do a great job with this hire. We were publicly turned down by numerous coaches at so-so places (how do you think it looks to recruits when the head coaches of Air Force and Duke are turning you down left and right). When we finally selected a guy, we went with a guy coming off of a typical 4-8 season at a crappy Louisiana school. Personally, I think a guy like Al Golden made more sense based on the information that Hamilton had avaiable. He went from a 1 win season in his first year to a 9 win season this year (his fourth) at a school that has been absolutely atrocious. Every year his team won more games. Dooley's team took a step back this year.

I'm not saying in a year, or two, or three, we won't look back and be thrilled with Dooley, I'm just saying as of right now, it is not an impressive hire for this tradition rich program like UT. Remember, a blind pig occasionally finds an acorn. That doesn't mean the pig has any skills.

welcome to VN
 
#24
#24
The issues about Cut and holding the old staff are not true. I know that for a fact. Not to mention they are now being let go... Everyone needs to get hold of themselves and settle down. Let the guy have a chance to work. Things take time to happen. As for the old staff those that are connected to Kiff were waiting to be fired to collect the pay out. Again, I know this for a fact. I monitor this site but I do not post as I do not want to aruge with the emotional vomit that some of the people on this site carry on with everyday. But I finally had enough of the crazy talk. Everyone can have their opinion but for the love of everything holy grow up and stop spouting off with the crazy neagtive outburst. I am very fortunate to be pretty well connected within the program (more so than 95% of the people on this site) but I do not know everything that goes into the decisions that are made. Like it or not you have to let these people do thier jobs. I promise as all knowing as some of you think you are the people in the know are better able to handle this than you. Let it play out, no coach is a slam dunk. Support our new coach and help him find success. If he is a bust then he will be replaced. It took AL almost 20 years and 6 different staffs to find the top again. Kiff did some good things as far as energy but keep in mind he only went 7-6 with his super staff and we were humbled by VT. For what it is worth the feeling among the players is very very positive. Just becasue he is not the sexy hire it does not mean he will not be a great HC. That tub at Notre Dame was a sexy hire and look how that turned out. Neyland would be spit on by people on this forum becasue he would not be sexy enough.

glad you finally posted
with your insights into the program

2 questions
1) How much was Gruden or Lovie offered?
2) Are the rumors of affairs, accidents and coeds surrounding kiffin true?
 
#25
#25
welcome to VN

Long time reader, but that yellow belly traitor who shall not be mentioned pushed me over the edge to posting. I was at UT when Manning was there and during the NC year, and to see UT in this state really disturbs me.
 
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