Strange: There are no miracle fixes three weeks in

Same old talk/excuses from the great leaders of our football team. Ainge talking about his leadership? Ainge channeling Fulmer's words---isn't that scary? Doesn't take long to figure out this team is very confused, and they don't have a clue. Just like our coaches!!

If the coaches don't resign the fans will.

"I'm aware we have issues,'' Hamilton said. "But we're only three weeks into the season.''

This is not an issue of 3 games it is a issue of more than seven years.

Step-up Hamilton or you'll be the AD that was at the helm when Tennessee fell.

mikejohn11
You're right on the money. Hamilton expects us to forget about all the disappointments over the last several years, but that's just not going to happen. He should be fired for giving raises and contract extensions, after the lack of success these past several years. I know, he did hire Coach Pearl, but the great Ernie Grunfeld should get most of the credit for that. We certainly do have issues and that's the good ole boys club. You can bet they will not give up money and power easily. I don't like bringing it up, but Alabama found that out the hard way. They finally figured it out, and hired a coach outside the family.

Hamilton must have serious mental problems with his memory. We are not just 3 weeks into the season, but 8 years and 3 weeks into mediocrity as our normal standard as a football team. Little team pow-wows and pep talks do not fix 8 years of slacking by a coaching staff. I have no doubt that the coaches know football better than I, but evidently know very little about implementing new schemes. When LB Karl said the spread option sure does give you a lot of chances for big plays, and UT refuses to move off the dinosaur it has been riding since the 90's, what does that tell you about the willingness for change in the UT system?

Maybe UT will get it together this season, and have a decent looking record, but I am not holding my breath. And, just suppose they do finish the season fairly well, what can we expect next year? Will we once again take to the field with an unprepared team while every school in the SEC snickers at the giant that used to be? Top 5 recruiting class, and underdeveloped talent pretty much sums up the problem. Waiting until you are three weeks into the season before you realize your team is not prepared is a failure on the coaching staff entirely. I know execution by the players has a part in this thing, but dagnabit, coaches are supposed to coach execution, and when a player doesn't do it, put in someone who is hungry for it.

104 - 51 in 2 losses! Almost 500 yards given up by the defense on average per game. Special teams where there is obviously nothing special! Wideouts that can't run a pattern over 10 yards! An O - line that couldn't block its way out of a girl-scouts troop. Nothing on this team has been right all season. I realize that occasionally a player might get into some kind of funk, or go through a serious slump, or have some kind of mental block and make some mistakes. But when it is the whole team doing it...this falls squarely on the shoulders of the coaching staff. For 8 years this has been a pattern, and to think it can be fixed quickly is insane. No pow-wow turns it around.

UT may do well against the likes of Ark ST. But Ark ST isn't UGA, ALA, SC, ARK, or even KY. I still think we can beat Vandy with little difficulty. But, boy, I bet the rest of the SEC teams are licking their chops.

WAKE UP HAMILTON!!!!

Man we have got some fickle fans. I live in Malaysia and I would give anything to see a little UT football, maybe not the Florida game, but something. I woke up at 3:30 in the morning to listen to the game online and stayed up straight through the day up until evening. Some of you guys have season tickets and would rather stay home. I don't get it. I would support TN even if they were 0-13. Even if you don't support the coaches, we have some hardworking boys on our side that chose not to go to Florida, Georgia, Oklahoma, etc. I think they deserved to be cheered on Saturdays for choosing UT instead of having spoiled fans boycotting games. Keep it up fans!! We'll drive away all those recruits who are considering Tennessee!! They'll see our great loyalty!! If you don't want your ticket, send it to me with $1,200 airfare so I can catch a game.

We all sould be going to the president of the school to apply pressure as well. Hell, maybe Hamilton needs to go too! Anywho, something needs to be done this year before it is too late. I wish the best for the kids on the team and with those wishes...a new coach.

Go Vols!

Ainge talks about being a leader. Are you the same leader than pouted like a candy a$$ 3rd grader after you muffed the hand off Saturday and let you whole team see you quit? And thats exactly what you did Saturday, you quit.

Go ahead Newton, set in Q and enjoy the pizza, drinks, a beautiful day in East Tennessee...and maybe if another another apple hits you on your head you will come to grips with the "gravity" of the situation.

I agree marc_ash, there are too many true fans of the Big Orange to see much difference in the stadium. I love the Vols and will support no matter what. The time for change is not now, you have to wait until the end of the season to do anything. I won't defend the coaches, but I also won't bad mouth coaches or players during the season. And I will continue to watch and cheer for UT EVERY Saturday. GO VOLS!!!

It's been a long time since I have seen the volume of whining and bellyaching by people who have no more demonstration of their status as UT fans other than their having access to a computer. I have watched the Vols on TV since '56 when Johnny burned the biscuits, and in person since 1963, and watched them when Duncan Stewart slept on that billboard for six weeks, and two years ago when we went 5-6. Am I happy with the state of UT football. Hell no! But I'm not going to bail out as a fan. We have had a heckuva run from 1990 until the recent past. In that run we have picked up a lot of bandwagon fans. A lot of those are jumping off the bandwagon. Great, get out of here. But if you can't offer something constructive, shut up and go root for Florida, or the New England Patriots or whatever team is on a roll. I much preferred this site when it was for pay. It's amazing how many a@#$%$#'s are kept away for just $40 a year.

You negative, nay-saying, boycotting bozos are just that...Bozos! Come on--get a grip! We've got 9 games to play, so let's just see how it plays out.

To really make an impact and call attention to how fans feel, there should be a full page taken out in the KNS with signatures of concerned fans asking questions of Fulmer and Hamilton on how this situation with UT Football is going to be addressed and corrected. Who wants to chair that project?

I wondered what was wrong. Another closed door meeting to set everything straight. Thank goodness!

Okay tngeoff(I am a retired TNG officer myself) now I see wherein lies your anger toward Fulmer and I appreciate your being honest about it. You really believe he stabbed Majors in the back to get his dream job and now it's payback time. I agree that Johnny was, heck is, the preeminent name in Tennessee football, and I think it's a great miscarriage of justice that the criteria for the UT ring of honor precludes him. But really, your listing of all his honors no matter how obscure makes me wonder if you're not Johnny himself. My version of the story of his dismissal does not include Fulmer as a ring leader or even a bit player. He was the beneficiary and got his dream job because Johnny got himself fired. Not for being a poor coach but for doing things as an employee that an employer can't tolerate. But this isn't about payback for Majors. It's about what's best for the most high profile symbol of the state University, it's football team. I think Phil needs to go, because he's become stale in the job. But he didn't stab Johnny in the back. Johnny stabbed himself. And it's ne c'est pas?

A very well thought out post slo jim. Back to Majors tngeoff, I don't think he was as good of a football coach as Majors. He certainly didn't have the same success. He won his national championship at Pitt, not here. When he finally beat Bryant in '82, I turned to my wife and said, "damnit, we've got him for at least five more years." As for back stabbing how about when he sacrificed Ken Donahue, when Duncan Stewart was on top of that billboard. Donahue, who crafted that great defense that tore apart Miami in 1985, and was an old mentor to Johnny, had to go to save Johnny's butt. Majors puts Doug Matthews in as DC. Doug had no experience as a defensive coach. But it was a big help that he faced Memphis, Ole Miss, Ky and Vandy in the balance of the season. Majors never kept assistants for very long, and maybe for a reason. If your replacement appears to close at hand, it's easier to get fired. I guess that's what happened, but Phil is/was a better coach than Majors, at least at Tennessee, and his accomplishments attest to that. Weren't two of Majors three SEC championships because Florida was being punished. At least that's the way I remember it.

Hueypilot, Do you think Fulmer will sacrafice Chavis like some have suggested here?

So let me see if I understand some of the logic, or lack of, on this board...we're mad as hell so we want to have an empty stadium and probably lots of booing to show our displeasure...and that will help us recruit new talent exactly how??? That will send exactly what kind of message to the young talented men looking to pick a program among many choices???

Express your frustrations to the appropriate place which is the Athletic Dept but be positive and show great Big Orange spirit at the games regardless...let these young recruits experience true fans with class that hang tough through the bad times.

...and some of you get a freakin' life!!!

tngeoff
Memories at UT show how much of a fan you truely are. I am a disabled Vet who came home and attended UT following my service. I was working at the Wendys on Cumberland in '82 when we beat Bama. It was nuts that night.
True fans get upset when UT does not perform well and should. If you believe, as many do that a change is needed in the coaching staff then do the Right thing and write to the AD. Whatever you chose though if you are really a true Vol., you have made the commitment to the university (more than lip service), you have shared your memories with children and family, then you never quit supporting the team. These young men made the commitment to UT, they bought into the tradition, the belief that this is were they wanted to build their careers.
I was once told I would never recover, never be able to do anything other than maybe sweep a floor. I keep my diploma from UT hanging in clear sight as proof that if you believe in yourself and the goal you wish to reach nothing is impossible.
My support for this team will never waver even if I support a change in the leadership.

No I don't vol 52. I think that one of Phil's greatest streghts and at the same time, weaknesses, is his unfliching loyalty. He has had very little turnover in his staff. I just don't think we have the playmakers on defense that we once had. I also think they are terribly coached. We all saw Berry backpedaling as the ball arrived for two touchdown passes, but Hefney did it too and he's no freshman. Karl is a good kid, but he's too darn slow to play linebacker in the SEC. We are not shedding blocks on defense and unless our defenders are weak or stupid, it's because they haven't been taught how to use their hands. John Chavis got by for years on blitzing schemes and he has been a great defensive coach. Either he doesn't have the playmakers or he, too has gotten stale on the job. I am concerned a malaise will set it and there will be no answer accept to clean house.

Can anyone tell me why Charlie Strong hasn't been offered a head coaching position? He put quite a defense on the field Saturday, when you consider they only returned Derrick Harvey from the front seven and was playing with youth and inexperience in the secondary as well? I actually thought he would be the first black head coach in the conference but Croom holds that distinction.

Thank You Hueypiolt for your thoughts. It can be very frustrating being a Tennessee Sports fan at times.

If you recall Charlie was our head coach for one game the year Zook was Zooked. We played Miami in the Peach Bowl and got 'whupped'. I have wondered if people held Strong responsibile. If they did they were sadly mistaken. He and Meyer go back many years together, BUT one of these days someone is going to wake up and realize he would make an outstanding head coach. We have co-defensive coordinators at Florida.

Foley looks like a genius in his hiring of Billy Donovan, and after his Ron Zook mistake, his hiring of Urban Meyer. Hamilton has hired a star of his own in Bruce Pearl. He hasn't had Billy Donovan success just yet, but he's only been with us for two years (I hated to hear the news about Pearl's personal problems, but I also hope, that these issues don't cause problems for the university) He let Delmonico go, hired a replacement and now he is faced with a problem with the football coaching staff. You could make a case that Fulmer deserves more time. He just recruited a top three class this year. But hasn't Notre Dame had top five classes the last three years under Weis and they haven't scored a touchdown yet.

My dream scenario. Fulmer rights the ship. Wins out or at least dramatically turns this team around and finishes strong. Optimism at season's end quiets the boo birds and we don't have posters named firefulmer anymore. He builds on this next year and the year after, winning championships and goes out on top with an SEC championship and a major bowl win as his swan song. We'll call it the Miracle at Knoxville. But I don't think that's the way it works.
Dream Scenario #2. This team plods along and without further embarassments like Florida, after a surprising win at either Tuscaloosa or over Arkansas in Knoxville, Fulmer anounces he will retire at the end of the football season, citing wanting to spend more time with his family. The University is grateful and rewards him handsomely, much the same as they'll have to do if they fire him and it avoids a messy pr situation for the school. I think this is more likely, if the university presents it to him in such a way that he doesn't have to be fired to realize his contractual benefits.

These would be more preferable that having to fire Fulmer, a man who's entire career has been identified with UT football. Few coaches ever get to leave a job under their own terms. Here's hoping this is one of them. If it can't happen that way, then Hamilton will have to drop the axe. Of course, Jim Haslam and others similarly situated will make those decisions, not just Mike Hamilton.

It wasn't that long ago that I would have never dreamed in a million years you would hear Boo Birds at Neyland.

It would seem that the talent is down jdc, but we still put a lot of guys in the league. Don't we rank second in number of players in the NFL?? Look at the last few years? Allen,Harrell, McDaniel, Gaither, Haralson, Douglas,Meacham, Mahelona, Sears, Swain Toeaina, Wade, McBride? As Spurrier once said of Phillip, "Ask him, he's the one with all the first round draft choices." But as for your statement of "Why would talent from outside Tennessee consider us if we are not a Top 10 team." How has the coach at Rutgers done it? What about Kansas State when Snyder had them playing at high levels (They sure pounded us in that Cotton Bowl fiasco.) They have ZERO football tradition and overcame that. We have a rich tradtion and a storied past. But we are on the verge of being remembered as "used to be good" I hate to see that happen. As for a brand name coach, that makes for a very small field and somehow I think we need a hungry coach. Not one that is full sated. I think we need a super salesman. Somehow Meyer convinced Percy Harvin to come to Gainesville when everybody in the country wanted him Just like Majors did to Tony Dorsett. Just like Cutcliffe and Phil did to Manning. It's salesmanship and enthusiasm. I don't know how a coach as long in the tooth as Fulmer or Bowden or Paterno to cite two guys twenty years older than Phil, can convey that sense of enthusiasm.

In my real dream scenario, Miles goes home to Michigan and LSU trots $5 million out there for Saban, who leaves Tuscaloosa for Baton Rouge. They'll be jumping out of buildings in Tuscaloosa. Since the tallest building in Tuscaloosa is only thee stories, you're going to have a very crowded emergency room.

Wow...Terry Bowden. You can't be serious.

As a heart attack. He said he is making himself available at seasons end.