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FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! At least someone has come out on the national scene and mentioned what is one of the underlying issues affecting the football program (which has affected hiring of coaches AND recruiting top notch players).

I don't claim to know things about this, but this is a big issue that needs to be explored and written about in the media. Maybe someone already did and I missed it but I don't think so.

I am happy with Butch Jones, I like him, and I think he has what it takes. IF he succeeds, he will have done so with what appears to be obstacles to the football program/athletic dept. that other school don't have.

I don't understand the fine details of what Maisel wrote about, but these issues surfaced just about the time Dooley was fired, when the Borad of Trustees met.

The issue needs EXPOSURE, and the fans need to put PRESSURE on the administration for some clear answers that we can understand. I'm all for athletes being held to academic standards, BUT if there are unrealistic expectations being placed on athletics by Jimmy Cheek (and obviously there are others there who have his back), the question becomes, "why?".

I've heard J Cheek wants UT to become a "research university". If I'm speaking out of ignorance please forgive me. I don't understand the fine print here, but my suspicion is that Cheek wants to take the school in this direction to receive funding.
(Here's an article I pulled up on Google: http://education.stateuniversity.com/...)

The more I hear the more something stinks within the administration.

I only took the time to write this so hopefully us, the fans will begin to ask more questions about what this stuff means so we can have a clearer understanding AND if someone is trying to push something across that could be detrimental to the athletic program, more people need to know. I'm not advocating athletics above academics, but surely they can exist without what seems to me a clear disadvantage to the AD at UT.