Tennessee men’s athletic director Mike Hamilton came out in support of head football coach Phillip Fulmer in a letter released on line Friday to season ticketholders.
In a column in Tuesday’s News Sentinel, sports editor John Adams suggested Fulmer step down over a recent rash of off-field incidents by UT football players.
“Many of you may have heard of columnist John Adams of the Knoxville News Sentinel writing a piece earlier this week calling for a change in leadership of our football team,” Hamilton wrote in a letter he sends to UT ticket holders on a routine basis. “Mr. Adams’ column is totally misguided and inappropriate. Coach Fulmer has responded in a guest column ... John Adams does not know the Phillip Fulmer I know.
“The education and growth of young men is a tough business requiring tough decisions and tough love. Coach Fulmer understands that. While several off-field incidents with our football team have occurred over the last few weeks, I can assure you these situations are being looked at with a critical eye by our coaching and administrative staff as we dole out punishment, and they are taken very seriously. ...
“An institution could not ask for a better role model in dealing with these young men than Phillip Fulmer. He is a person of integrity and high moral character. This talk of nonsense from Mr. Adams only serves as a distraction from your university’s football team and its goals....”
In his column, Adams mentioned eight UT football players being arrested or disciplined over a six-week period.
NCAA Tennessee 83 - Ohio 68
Vols' spring practice wit…
Tennessee defeats San Diego State 62-59
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Comments » 355
cdldoc#211897 writes:
Kiss our collective butts John Adams.
sidwalkvol writes:
not exactly the "vote of confidence," but in the general precincts. Wonder, though, how the editors of KNS are feeling now about their boy.
rawvol writes:
see "Coleman charged on domestic battery charge"
flstf writes:
Adams is a tool and needs to be sent back to La. Thank you Coach Fulmer for standing up for yourself.
vol88 writes:
Man, Adams dropped a match in the fireworks factory.
Just beat Memphis, baby!
FLAVOLS writes:
Don't express an opinion in Knoxville without the expected consequences. Petty.
sidwalkvol writes:
It is one thing to express an opinion; it is quite another, in the name of free speech or journalistic license, or whatever, to slash and burn with ad hominem attacks... especially inappropriate were the references to former players and their "after-UT" behaviors. I agree with poster on the CPF article's thread that that argument actually works in favor of Coach--that they were better-behaved here than since.
martinvolfan writes:
It's great to see the AD sticking up for the coach. Adams needs go.
jacksonvol writes:
Adams is a loser. But he sure is generating newspaper sales. We should boycott the News-Senile. That may get the jerk fired.
Colliervol writes:
They posted Hamilton's comment at the same time I was posting it on the other article. My thought:
My only comment to Mr. Hamilton is this. There is a wide difference in "talk" and "results". Personally, I'm not impressed with flowery language. You and Coach Fulmer are paid handsomely to fix problems and not just hand out grand memos. Get the team's attention and get them acting right and all of this goes away. How hard can that be?
TommyJack writes:
Unnecessary on Mikey's part, IMO.
hcjournals#206623 writes:
To The Knoxville News Sentinel:
We like you, for the most part. Many of us rely on you for our news about our university. Those of us who live out of state are just as fervent as someone who lives off Kingston Pike. As I like to tell one of my fraternity brothers, it's harder to be a good fan livng away, because all you have to do is fall out of bed and you're on your way to Neyland or Thompson Boling. The point is we rely on you. When you made the site pay per view, we balked, even though you said you made a lot of money. You made the site free again. We appreicate it. The numbers look a lot bigger to advertisers, so hopefully you will make a lot more money. We want that for you. What we don't want......and what we won't accept.......is you using us for your own purposes. You need to have opinons, and we accept that. We are biased. We try to be objective but we know that we are. But from what I have seen, we have a pretty good program. We put a lot of players in the NFL yes, but I don't hear a lot of complaining from former players who didn't go to the NFL.They must be doing something right. You know you got picked up by ESPN today for this buzz. But what you might not know or be seeing, is that you are coming off as being sensationalistic, and a little (maybe a lot) self serving. You crossed the line, and you shook our confidence in you. We don't mind objectivity. But please stop shaking our cage and poking us at the same time. I't a bit much....Thanks for all you provide us. Let's get back to real reporting. Thanks.
tigervol9802 writes:
What is the saying?
If you tell a lie no many times, no matter how outerageous it is, people will eventually accept it as truth.
Is that it? Or something similar? All I know is whoever the PR person is for the athletic department needs to make about 3 times as much as they do for what they have to spin.
vol1994 writes:
Whether you like or dislike Fulmer for his results on the field, attacking his character is ridiculous and uncalled for. Adams does NOT know fulmer at all and the university has never given Adams or his clowns the time of day for an interview which ticks them off even more.
Fulmer has nothing but integrity and is a very honest person. He was the keynote speaker at a luncheon I attended this past Tuesday in Columbia, TN and he is a very genuine person. I have never heard of a coach to make an unpaid appearance for the boy scouts before.. He spent time with some kids and addressed those in attendance. There is more to life than W's and L's but I too get caught up with the W's and L's during f-ball season. I want a championship team too!
That is why I donate money and attend every home game and possibly away games.
I really think our program will get back on track in the win-loss column as we were SEC east champs last year.
I just wish everyone would support the UT coach, whether you think he should be there or not.
Not trying to compare politics with sports, but it is totally embarrassing that other countries ridicule the US b/c our citizens ridicule the president (republican or democratic). Whether you like Bush or Clinton and disliked Regan or Carter we should all support our president because it is OUR COUNTRY. All you hear is Bush s...
yada yada yada. Or a bumper sticker that reads - "don't blame me I didn't vote for Bush."
The same thing with sports. We should support the guy in charge and if the program declines let the AD make the decision for change. I promise you that there is NOT one of us on this board who Hamilton listens too unless you are Mr. Hickman, one of UT's main donors and member of Board of Trustees.
Again, I am not trying to state sports is as important as politics so please do not take it that way.. just we should support our leader whether you like him or not.
If this phooey continues our recruiting will continue to go downward. I for one am glad Fulmer stood up for himself and Hamilton made his comments.
GO Fulmer! Go Vols! KNS- you know where you and Adams can go!
go Vols! Beat Memphis!
GO VOLS!!
thesavageorange writes:
MH did bring up something important.This is an administrative problem as well.There is a flaw in policy.If I we're MH the first thing I would do is give Mike Slive a buzz to discuss the possibilities of instituting a conference wide policy.Say, 3 strikes you're gone period.Take it out of the coaches hands to keep the playing field even.I can hear the Bama fans now.No no no no no, uhhh that's not necessary , no really.They will be back under sanctions in no time.
johnlg00#206211 writes:
In this case, I am for CPF and against Adams. I wish the team would win more and I wish the guys would behave. I can understand, though I don't agree with, those who want CPF to resign or be fired. It is OK for Adams or anyone else to say that they hold the coach responsible for both wins and losses and for the behavior of his players, but it is quite another, IMHO, for him to, in so many words, demand that CPF leave. I also thought it was kinda dumb of him to point to bad POST-VOL behavior on the part of a few as proof that CPF needs to go. It is just a fact that no one outside the program knows ALL the details of any particular player's actions and the discipline applied to him. I have said before that I think CPF should lay down a harder line than he seems to have done until now. It is often as important that the right thing not only BE done as that it be SEEN to have been done. On the other hand, there are not too many organizations of any kind who are eager to conduct all their personnel operations in public. There are sensitive issues of the personal lives of sometimes immature young men at stake here. I'm glad CPF is our coach. I think next year will tell us a lot about whether he will, or ought to be, our coach much longer. I know I'm all over the lot here, but things are rarely as cut-and-dried as they may seem to some outside observer who has no real stake in the outcome.
GreerVol22 writes:
Adams is the kind of guy that wads up his money before putting it in the collection plate.
He's also the kind of guy who drinks sweet tea through a straw.
He hates cats and thinks Ted Kennedy should run for president.
John...your no Quincy.
TommyJack writes:
GreerVol: You think he may also squat when he....never mind.
chas_turner#627149 writes:
Mr. Adam's carried his vendetta against Coach Fulmer to local sports talk radio stations in both Birmingham and Atlanta yesterday. The KNS is no longer satisfied with reporting news, it now insists on making the news.
Today, John Adam's is quoted in an Atlanta Journal Constitution article iasking if Coach Fulmer is on the hot seat and will he be terminated at the end of this season. One of our recruiting strengths has been the coaching stability of our program. Congratulations KNS and John Adams, you are hurting the UT football recruiting now. I will not purchase anything from any business advertising in your paper.
losvolsganan writes:
Greervol: I hear tell from Smokey that he hates dogs too!
HotlantaVol writes:
If nothing else, we are certainly keeping the pressure off the basketball team this week. Between JA's column, CPF's column and ADMH's letter, the fans have been distracted from the main event tomorrow night. So, in the event that the basketball players and coaches take a look out here tonight, they won't feel any additional pressure from fans. Memphis, OTOH, has everything to lose and should be stewing armpit deep in pressure and expectations. I cannot believe Graceland is going blue this weekend. Disgusting.
scott4241#525342 writes:
You're forgetting something, folks. This goes deeper than off the field incidents. As a season ticket holder, for me, this is about wins and losses and the lack of championships. For those of you worried about this affecting recruiting, NEWS FLASH! This year was already a disaster, recruiting wise. Thank you, Mr. Adams, for expressing the feelings of the MAJORITY! You RA! RA! people just get out of the way and let us true fans who care about what Fulmer is doing to this program worry about running his rear end out of town and you won't have to get your hands dirty. You are the same people who leave early at the basketball games when the score is still close. Mike Hamilton did a good job getting a basketball coach but he doesn't have the guts to get us a football coach. I guess the big money donors haven't given him permission,yet.
thesavageorange writes:
GreerVol22, I havn't laughed that hard at a post in days.No respecting southerner would drink tea through a straw.
HotlantaVol writes:
John Adams at Applebee's tonight: I'll have a white wine spritzer with an umbrella and a sweet iced tea. Oh, and can I get straws in both of those?
losvolsganan writes:
So a season ticket holder who cares not one whit about the players and coaches, only whether they are "entertained" by a win, are the true fans. Hmmm, in that case, I'm glad I don't qualify as a "true fan".
Chainsaw writes:
Adams really should get a mental health professional to treat the case of Fulmer Derangement Syndrome that afflicts him. It is driving him to pathetically small minded cheap shots, and it is only making him look like a bitter, silly man. He's ruining an otherwise acceptable sports section, and I'll not subscribe to the KNS until he leaves. Further, I'll take this opportunity to suggest that he resign, and take up PETA activism, or pooper-scooper at large for the parks of Knoxville, in his retirement.
tigervol9802 writes:
Guys, I hate to defend Adams, but his job is to write his opinion, whether people like it or not.
You cannot argue with the facts in the article he wrote or how he reached his conclusion. You may not like it, but it makes logical sense. Don't put any blame on Adams that comes directly from the facts that are very easy to acquire from the football program over the last 4 years.
I am personally tired of my alma mater being the butt of jokes all around the US because it's players can't stay out of trouble. I'm tired of getting emails that say "Fulmer for Knox Co Sherriff" or getting links to go to "The Fulmer Cup". FRIGGIN WAKE UP PEOPLE!! TAKE OFF THE ORANGE COLORED GLASSES! Something is wrong!
It's nice Fulmer wants to help go to Boy Scout meetings, help others, etc., but when the organization he is in charge of is 180 degrees from what he says he believes in and promotes....then something does not add up!
orngejuice writes:
hcjournals...great post!
GerryOP writes:
I find Hamilton's reaction to be strange. Is this the death nell "Vote of confidence?" Or is the whole thing a smokescreen to camouflage Fulmer's less than spectacular performance on the field? Really weird.
Chainsaw writes:
"Guys, I hate to defend Adams, but his job is to write his opinion, whether people like it or not."
That's cool...as long as his employer is prepared to deal with the fallout when what he writes rubs a significant portion of his audience the wrong way. After all, it's not like the KNS is setting record revenue and profit numbers these days.
thesavageorange writes:
scott4241, I'm not a "fulmerite", but I hate to tell you, you are not the MAJORITY.If you we're he would already be gone.Also, you're future coach(IMHO)is already on staff. tigervol9802 ,I don't have a problem w/ Adams article,however, I do have a problem w/ him blasting it on Georgia and Bama radio stations.
Kwitcherbellyachin writes:
In other news, I believe a certain #2 ranked men's basketball team is travelling to the home of a certain #1 ranked men's basketball team in the first "#1 vs. #2" matchup in both school's histories.
Really, folks. Lighten up and enjoy Saturday. Hell, enjoy March Madness just around the corner. Are you forgetting the renaissance that is Volunteer BASKETball these days?
Let Fulmer and Adams and all the frustration that has been Vol Football in the 21st century go for awhile... breathe in, breathe out. See? That wasn't so hard, was it?
wmhorton#209780 writes:
Of course Hamilton had to rush out and support Fulmer. After all, it was Hamilton who made the ridiculous decision to grant Fulmer a contract extension at the conclusion of this past season, even though Fulmer's contract still had years on it and even though Fulmer was badly outcoached in a number of games this past season. Within the next few years, Hamilton will be fired along with Fulmer.
eb502us#225637 writes:
I like Fulmer though his disciplinary record leaves alot to be desired. He plays favorites and should be open to criticism in that regard. Had it been anyone else but Colquitt (5th offense), he would definetly be gone. Come to think of it, I can't think of anyone else (short of the Reveiz brothers)who would have made it past the 4th. If Adams would have only questioned the Colquitt punishment among others, he would have been right on target.
godfreyp#606785 writes:
I think we should all BOYCOTT the NEWS PAPER immediately. I will no longer purchase the news paper any longer. I can't believe the editor allowed this to be printed. I have also talked to many family members who also said they will no longer purchase the paper!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!BOYCOTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!THE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!PAPER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
johnlg00#206211 writes:
scott4241, I confess I couldn't slog through all the posts on the Adams/Fulmer/Hamilton articles, but it seemed to me that the pro-CPF posts were in the vast majority, and most of the anti-CPF posts were from the usual suspects. I know that lots of Vol fans want the team to do better on and off the field, but some of the anti-CPF posts were, IMHO, well over the line. If things don't improve the rest of the off-season and on the field next year, CPF may well decide he doesn't need to put up with all the negativity any more, or, less likely, MH will decide to fire him. Then we will see if anyone else can do better any time soon. I think those hoping for a quick fix will be sorely disappointed. They should be more careful what they wish for.
tigervol9802 writes:
stj18 -
Actually I have.
I also understand that younger guys, especially some that come from the backgrounds that we have, are going to screw up. And I'm fine with it.
But, I just wish some of you guys knew the stories from the other side. Former players (some starters) who loathe Fulmer, former managers who could care less about him and his attitude towards him, etc. They are out there...trust me.
I'm sorry. I realize I am in the minority here. That's fine. I don't care. Like I said, I wish we didn't even have to have this conversation at all. But, an organization derives it's culture from the top. Something does not make sense.
TommyJack writes:
sjt: With the cultural meltdown in our society, I'm not sure the H/C should be held accountable.
Problem probably overwhelms the coaches. Perhaps the University should handle these matters, exclusive of the athletics dept. The administration would have little, if any, personal ties, thus strike one is strike one.
Food for thought.
wvuvolfan writes:
like flounder said in ANIMAL HOUSE, "this is great". where else can you get such ferver, animosity, and passion than in KTOWN USA. Go BB VOLS, CPF I'm a supporter. JA, I think you are hilarious at times, try not to be so serious in the future. You'll live longer.
LiveFaith writes:
A Change Needed at the Top at UT?
No! Rather a change a KNS needs to be made at the "bottom". Fire John Adams and replace him with a grad from journalism school with a 2.5gpa. The KNS stock goes way up in my view.
KNS has become my number one sports website. But John Adams' nonsensical "columns" have been the only detraction. The only reason that I even know his name is because of all the objections from posters over the months to the guy's blather.
Oh, by the way. Thanks Coach Fulmer for setting an example of excellence at UT. I hope you have many more wonderful years at UT. And more championships as well. Class act.
drwfocus writes:
Told Ya!!!
stinky_pinky writes:
Adams did his job.. he sold more papers
not saying he's 100% right but he sure as hell is not 100% wrong
quit cryin
chas_turner#627149 writes:
Adam's job is to write his opinion? What happened to accurately and fairly reporting the news? After all, Adams is the Sports Editor of this paper. Look at his job description and if you find anything about him writing his opinion, I will be surprised. Is it also his job to denigrate the UT football program on Birmingham and Atlanta radio?
GreerVol22 writes:
Now guys, don't get me wrong about the tea thing. I'm not saying he's gay. But I did think it a bit odd when he was the only one to show up at the "green" bridge opening.
And the SOB probably pulls for a Toyota on Sundays too.
godfreyp#606785 writes:
You can't say JA's article was fair at all. He doesn't understand or have all facts but he still wrote one of the worse articles I have ever read!!!!!!!!!!!!! I thought editors should tell the truth and NOT BE BIASED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
tigervol9802 writes:
stj,
I don't want to type out all my thoughts on here. I don't have time or desire. I've wasted too much tiem today. I've just seen what is going on now happen before with other coaches. I'm tired of the off the field issues that lead to joke after joke and I'm worried it's going to lead to on the field performance issues again.
I hope I am wrong. Occasionally I don't mind it. Right now it's just 5 o'clock on Friday and I am just hoping no police reports come out about UT football players in the next 72 hours. I really hate having this feeling every Friday.
FulmerRulz writes:
Who cares about watching a mediocre football team year in and year out that hasn't brought home a championship in a decade. I guess if you think the coach of such a team is a "good guy" then you do. Wake up people, we have a real team playing for the top spot in the country tomorrow. One that plays with heart, passion, and dicipline. What a breath of fresh air! Thank you Bruce!
stinky_pinky writes:
chas, you need to look up the definition of editorial...
an article in a newspaper or other periodical presenting the opinion of the publisher, editor, or editors.
youre a jackleg
losvolsganan writes:
sjt18: I disagree with you on giving Colquitt another chance being too lenient. I know that because of his families money, it is perceived as favoritism, but as you pointed out, he has stayed out of trouble for almost 4 years before this latest incident. He may have just been having a bad day, or caught his girlfriend cheating, or for whatever reason, did something stupid. I feel like Fulmer dropped the ax halfway on him and he will definitely get the full ax if he messes up again. It may just be that I was pretty stupid at that age and was thankful for those who didn't write me off too harshly or quickly. I do recognize the potential harm to other players who may view it as leniency or even to Colquitt if it becomes enabling to him. Fine line to walk, but I would definitely make sure he knows it's his LAST chance.
volntx writes:
OK, how many people would send their high school senior on a UT recruiting trip to ride around town with a few other players smoking a couple of doobies,then hit the srtip for a few hours and afterwards be driven home by the punter?............... Me either
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