What makes UT attractive?

#102
#102
AshG said:
I've been here through four actual and a couple pretend coaching searches and have read quite a bit about the things that make UT and attractive place to coach and play and the things that turn off coaches and recruits. It's been a while, and I'm wondering what the consensus is on these issues.

My thoughts and understandings:
Positives
- Competes in the SEC (Yes, but is the only team in the Eastern Division that plays Alabama every year. That's a disadvantage.)
- Some of the top facilities in the country, with regular improvements being made (TV contracts have put all schools on about the same footing here. No longer an advantage.)
- The Grand Cathedral of College Football, Neyland Stadium (Neyland is great, but I expect about every SEC school outside of Vandy considers their stadium to be "great.")
- Near several recruiting hot spots, and in state quality is improving (Improved recruiting in-state? Yes. But still no match for Florida and Georgia in-state recruiting. Bama truly recruits nationally.)
- Quality land grant institution (Nothing unique about that.)
- Quality local schools (for coach's children) (Don't live in Knoxville so I can't comment on this.)
- Local access to air travel (I have flown into and out of Knoxville one time -- to see a UT game. It's a nice little airport, but DFW it ain't.

Negatives
- Seemingly constant University/AD turmoil (Yes.)
- Limited shopping (Eh, shopping is over rated--just use Amazon.)
- Limited nightlife (There seemed to be plenty when I was in grad school there in the distant past. Cannot comment about nowadays.)
- Distance to the beach, large city amenities and activities (I grew up on the other side of the state, and can relate. The nearest big city was Memphis and it was over 2 hours away. No beaches unless you count the Mississippi River :)

What's on your list, and what can actually be fixed to make it a more attractive place overall?
Click to expand...

Knoxville is what it is. If you like living in a smallish city, I am sure it is perfectly fine. Not much can be done to improve Knoxville other than to elect good smart people to office and run things correctly, encourage investment, etc. UT on the other hand needs to be reformed from top to bottom. The admin at UT is perennially weak-kneed, timid and reactive. No one wants to rock the boat.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: DougAtkins91
#104
#104
TartanTurff said:
In my opinion the biggest problem with the university is piss poor leadership, most of the people currently running the university are not there because of their incredible qualifications, skills and talents, the are there to facilitate someone else's agenda,

In my opinion, Blonde Donde is there because we thought we had to have a female Chancellor since the last one flamed out, Bev Davenport seemed inept in public speaking, not able to articulate what her athletic director, John Currie, was supposed to do, who cares if we hire a qualified Chancellor, we have to have a female chancellor

In my opinion, Fulmer is there to lap up money he thinks he is owed because of the 1998 perfect season and the national championship, but they ran him off campus after mailing it in during 2005 and 2008 with a losing season, losing conference records, only Cutcliff's handle in 2006 and 2007 saved his bacon for the 2008 collapse, Fulmer has no AD experience, no special business background, no skillset in administration that make him an effective AD,

In my opinion Randy Boyd is a successful Knoxville businessman, no advanced degrees, ran a goofy campaign for governor in 2018, got blasted in the primary by a first time candidate from Nashville, Haslams put him there when Bill Haslam decided he didn't want the job, not sure running a baseball organization and a pet supply business provides the skill set to run a university, but he's there when he's not out hawking for a new baseball stadium for his Sevierville team in a worn out part of downtown Knoxville,

Blonde Donde and Fulmer should be summarily fired, Boyd might be better suited to be the athletic director, but his sports holdings may be a conflict of interest for running a local college athletic department. But you will not see any talented or quickly recognized head coaching superstars coming to work for this crowd.

Does anybody actually think Andy Holt, Jack Reese, Ed Boling, or Bob Woodruff
had a guaranteed employment contract? Does anybody think the current cast of characters could hold a candle to Reese and Boling?
Click to expand...
Spot on!!!!
 
  • Like
Reactions: MAUSERWERKE
#105
#105
SayUWantAreVOLution said:
This is why you can't recruit to Knox. Well, partially. Folks like this control Knoxville and Knoxville's development. I think they're still building strip malls and "toothpick townhouses" in Knoxville to this day. "Successful" folks like this are our big boosters..... a fuel station tycoon.

I've a friend in the Bay Area who makes me feel ancient when telling me of his son's successes with "self driving electric long haul trucks." I hope Jimmy invests in charging stations.

TN, the people AND the University, root themselves in the past. Fulmer's past..... maintains his job with his boosters.

I'll suggest that Mario Cristobal ABUSED Auburn for a bigger contract at Oregon knowing that Nike is more forward looking AND that weed is essentially legal in Oregon (never in the SEC for several years) AND no longer tested for in the NFL.

Mario is recruiting 5 years beyond the SEC....
Click to expand...
Weed is illegal in Alabama, South Carolina, Indiana, and Ohio. Guess their teams will never make the playoffs,.....oh, wait!! Meanwhile, in Colorado, California, and Oregon.......
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rickyvol77, Popcorn and DougAtkins91
#106
#106
SayUWantAreVOLution said:
Dude...... seriously..... dude...... I did a gig at UCF just before the pandemic. Just dude. Spend 25 sober minutes in FL in Gainesville, Orlando, or Tallahassee.....

Just dude. TN is at such a disadvantage.
Click to expand...

3EC3616D-5E0C-4075-9D18-BDB2E449327D.jpeg

Throttle back...dude. It might help put out that helmet fire you came in here with this morning.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rickyvol77 and Popcorn
#107
#107
SayUWantAreVOLution said:
This is why you can't recruit to Knox. Well, partially. Folks like this control Knoxville and Knoxville's development. I think they're still building strip malls and "toothpick townhouses" in Knoxville to this day. "Successful" folks like this are our big boosters..... a fuel station tycoon.

I've a friend in the Bay Area who makes me feel ancient when telling me of his son's successes with "self driving electric long haul trucks." I hope Jimmy invests in charging stations.

TN, the people AND the University, root themselves in the past. Fulmer's past..... maintains his job with his boosters.

I'll suggest that Mario Cristobal ABUSED Auburn for a bigger contract at Oregon knowing that Nike is more forward looking AND that weed is essentially legal in Oregon (never in the SEC for several years) AND no longer tested for in the NFL.

Mario is recruiting 5 years beyond the SEC....
Click to expand...

And thousands of people in California are leaving that cesspool every day because of taxes, poor leadership, disease and sickness. Enjoy your time in America’s armpit.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rickyvol77, Mtnvol80, Freiwillige and 2 others
#110
#110
DougAtkins91 said:
And thousands of people in California are leaving that cesspool every day because of taxes, poor leadership, disease and sickness. Enjoy your time in America’s armpit.
Click to expand...
I'm ridiculously old and can still see a recruit from, how shall I say this, a less than ideal upbringing who may have regularly indulged in more than a beer....... getting walked past a very legal recreational cannibus shop in Eugene with a lovely lady on his arm vs getting walked past multiple bars in Knox.

I'm old. Not dead. Ask your kids and grandkids what they'd want...... kush or cash.
 
#112
#112
Tennessee is very strong in academics, tradition, facilities, and overall fan experience and really is among the best schools for athletics in the country.

The problem: Most of the schools in the SEC are just better. Alabama, Florida, Georgia and LSU are elite top 10 programs with Texas A&M, closing in. Auburn and Tennessee find themselves in the middle of the pack but trending downward.

Unpopular opinion but Tennessee looks more and more like a school that belongs in the ACC and would likely benefit from a move away from a schedule that makes a successful rebuild virtually impossible.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mtnvol80 and Popcorn
#114
#114
TAF said:
6077acf6f07fe0d39a82030eed4cd1b1.jpg


028c5a9f19020f7cfa30a8e57fd58bb0.jpg


dc930f0f3c09737937ce1b7386d741e6.jpg


2050036627_0311d8edde.jpg

jael-miller-tennessee-bikini-4.jpg
Click to expand...

"Im Joey Freshwater and I approve this message"
 
#118
#118
1. Comparatively speaking, Knoxville is a cheap place to live.

2. We’re a 1-4 hour drive to Atlanta, Nashville, Asheville, Cincinnati etc...

3. We have a top 5 recruiting budget year in and out. We’ve always recruited nationally.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rickyvol77
#120
#120
landscapingvol said:
If you think fans for other schools outside of Vanderbilt and Kentucky are less passionate than UT fans, then I don’t know what to tell you. If Georgia fans had endured the crap we have over the last two decades, do you think they would be patiently standing by, quietly observing the turmoil with a golly gee attitude? Quit being naive
Click to expand...

Not sure this guy understands.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rickyvol77
#123
#123
There is nothing wrong with UT that a good coach won't cure.

The problem is that UT administration prevents getting a good coach.
 
New posts
You must log in or register to reply here.

VN Store



Back
Top