In a word.....distraught.

by MeytonPanning on Nov 4, 2008 11:37 AM EST Comment 13 comments

Yesterday and today have been pretty tough. Yesterday's press conference was a huge punch in the gut--not because I didn't think "change" was going to happen this season or soon after--but because we saw a man who was facing the reality that the Institution that he loved and served nearly his entire professional life didn't love him quite as much. Judging from yesterday, the day each of us have to face that type of reality is a sad, sad day.

I'm not going to argue against the decision. People who are paid to make the objective, tough choices made this decision and I'm sure there was a thorough "process" that fully examined whether this needed to be done. Fine. I can will have to live with that.

Here is what bothers me. What now? For my entire life, Tennessee has been run by a Tennessee man. Say what you will about the two, but Phillip Fulmer and Johnny Majors were absolutely all about and all for Tennessee. My worry is that the era of the coach that lives to serve has been replaced by the era of the coach that is going to get paid. Are we going to find the captain that leads this team for the next decade plus? Or are we going to find the stop gap that leads this football team with an eye constantly out for his future. Is there a candidate out there that can embrace Tennessee or is it full of candidates that are chomping at the bit to have "Head Football Coach, Tennessee" as a sexy, yet temporary bullet point on their resume?

I'm worried. Very worried. We saw what Florida, Alabama, Nebraska, and Notre Dame went through during their extended search for a coach. I'm worried that the Volunteer State is about to experience the same thing.

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You're right to be worried

The university has a difficult and potentially risky decision to make now.

However, much as I’d like for a Tennessee man to take over one way or the other, it’s not a necessity. Vince Dooley was an Auburn grad and Mark Richt is an FSU grad, and they both did ok at Georgia.

God knows what circle of hell Urban Meyer comes from.

"Florida didnt win their first SEC title until 1991 and now they think they invented football."
-Ron Zook

by rustytanton on Nov 4, 2008 12:14 PM EST reply actions 1 recs

The very darkest and deepest part of HELL !

LOL ! Thanks rusty I needed A laugh .

Phil,GO VOLS !!!

by bulldurham on Nov 4, 2008 12:39 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Ha!

Nice.

Go Vols!

by Joel on Nov 4, 2008 1:55 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Valid concern

And if I am Mike Hamilton, no matter who the next coach is, I arrange a meeting for that coach with Bruce Pearl for a lesson on how to come in as an insider and embrace the tradition of the school. Pearl has done a masterful job of that.

Lou Brock loves Lamp.

by birdjam on Nov 4, 2008 1:00 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Edit

“as an insider” should be “as an outsider”

Lou Brock loves Lamp.

by birdjam on Nov 4, 2008 1:00 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Got the point

And it is a good one. We can all learn some valuable lessons from Bruce Pearl.

Go Vols!

by Joel on Nov 4, 2008 1:56 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Find the best coach. Period.

General Neyland isn’t walking through that door. “Company Men” are overrated.

by wvvol on Nov 4, 2008 1:05 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Agreed

Good point, wvvol.

The whole “I’m from Tennessee,” “Michigan Man” stuff doesn’t really resonate with me. There is no zeal like that of a convert, I’m told.

Go Vols!

by Joel on Nov 4, 2008 1:57 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Too often Company Men carry on the traditions that

got their predecessor fired.

by wvvol on Nov 4, 2008 2:06 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Company men are overrated? That’s a nice catchy phrase but it still doesn’t take away from the idea that with any hot young new hire we are going to be paranoid about other bigger fish poaching our catch. At least with Majors and Fulmer that was never a concern. Look at LSU. They had to renogiate their contract with Miles early in his contract and in the middle of a season to keep him from calling home to the mother ship. Is Tennessee the type of administration to have that sort of humility with its coach to constantly renegotiate to keep him from seeking “greener” pastures? Or will the AD and Company tell that coach to pound sand?

And on finding the best coach? What does that truly mean for Tennessee? Every program is much too unique to simply say we need the best coach period. We need the best fit. Or is it find the best coach that is willing to come to Tennessee and deal with the pecularities of the job? Is a huge prospect willing to come to Tennessee and have to deal with having a second tier talent base in their own home state? What’s our criteria for a succesful hire anyway? A conference championship in how many years?

So this brings up a question that I’m uncomfortable answering? What is this Tennessee job? Is this truly an attractive job? An elite job? Is this a job for the guy looking for his last coaching job? Or is this a job for the guy who will be out in four years when a Texas, Ohio State, or USC comes calling?

Folks, I’m not trying to make the case for any particular requirements for our next football coach. I’m just speaking out loud my thoughts and concerns about the next couple of months. This ain’t going to be fun. At all.

Someday we'll look back on this and plow into a parked car.

by MeytonPanning on Nov 4, 2008 10:30 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Don't be scared

It might take a couple coaches before it’s right, but it needed to be done. We just elected a black President. ¡Si se puede!

by wvvol on Nov 5, 2008 12:18 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Your Concerns are valid

I, like most Vol fans are worried. This upcoming decision can get us on the right track or derail us for another 3-6 years. And like WVVOL said, find the best man. If you have success in the SEC, you tend to stay because the compensation is there.

At least we still have Eric Berry

by Volorado on Nov 4, 2008 2:07 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Well said...

I posted a link to this entry on my facebook page, here’s my own comments from that link:

MeytonPanning summed things up far better than I could. What now? Yes, Fulmer’s record stunk since 2001. But I fear we’re heading into a decade-long cycle of rotating-door coaches, who are only in Knoxville to get paid, pad their resume, or both.
Tennessee fans have had the luxury of stability at head coach that anyone—other than Penn State—can only dream of, with only two head coaches since Star Wars first hit theaters (1977). And those two (Majors and Fulmer) were ‘company men’…Tennessee born and bred, with no higher aspiration than to coach the Big Orange.
Maybe I’m just being nervous and pessimistic. But we might just look back in a few years and think of Monday as the opening of a dark chapter in UT’s football history.
Oh, and one more thing…in Fulmer’s 17 years, there was never a whiff of cheating, no NCAA investigators hounding our every step. What if we get some mercenary coach with a win at all costs attitude who won’t care if he’s forced out after a scandal that leaves UT in probation hell for a decade?

by darthbubba on Nov 7, 2008 12:18 PM EST reply actions 0 recs