Dear Urban Meyer,

Thank you for running up the score against Tennessee last night. For the few people remaining who needed to be convinced that the game has passed Phillip Fulmer and his staff by, we present your 59-20 effort where the Volunteers were outmanned, outsmarted and outclassed in every facet of play.

I hope Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama, Arkansas, Vanderbilt and Kentucky will show the Tennessee program the same graciousness and consideration for its long-term well-being and not let up even after victory seems secure. Every protagonist needs a worthy antagonist to bolster its own credibility in the eyes of outside observers. Phillip Fulmer is no longer capable of playing the role of protagonist for Volunteer fans, or of playing antagonist for fans of other SEC programs.

I believe Coach Fulmer to be a good man, and I wish him the best in his future endeavors. I appreciate everything he did for the program in the 1990s, and will hold the memories he helped create dear. But the only thing that can help the University of Tennessee's football program now is for his tenure as coach of the Volunteers to end.

So, again, thank you Coach Meyer for sounding the clarion call that will (hopefully) make that necessary step possible.

Sincerely,
Rusty Tanton
University of Tennessee Alumni
Class of 2002