It’s a quiet Sunday afternoon on campus. There’s very little traffic on Volunteer Boulevard and here in the Athletic Complex things are eerily still. That all changes this week as August is here, a new sports season begins and the start of a new semester is a few short weeks away.
I have just returned from vacation and spent a great deal of my time reflecting on the past year, both personally and professionally, and preparing for the year ahead. There were a number of highlights last year as we finished 16th in the Director’s Cup, second among SEC teams. The brilliant run by men’s basketball to the Elite Eight and the performance of our tennis programs with the men playing for the National Championship and women advancing to the Elite Eight along with the Lady Vols finishing second nationally in indoor track are just a few of the stand-out moments. Our men’s track program was, and is in a time of transition but the future is extremely bright with J.J. Clark at the helm. We have made significant enhancements at Lindsey Nelson Stadium and while baseball has struggled in recent years, we continue to look forward - and work hard towards - building a consistent winner under the leadership of Coach Todd Raleigh.
On my way to campus today, I intentionally drove to Neyland Stadium, parked and took it all in. The changes there are astounding and we think you’ll be extremely pleased. While visualizing what the first game day is going to look like, I took time to reflect on where we are in football. Clearly, the last three years we have had our fair share of turmoil and divisiveness. Now is the time for unity in purpose and support. Having observed Coach Derek Dooley and his staff for seven months, he is rebuilding our football program in the tradition that we have known and appreciated for so many years. We will be well-coached and will operate in a first-class manner.
As we work towards that end, I would ask for your unwavering support of these young men who have been through so much. Some strong leaders have emerged out of the trials of the last 24 months, and I expect their character will be revealed in the season ahead. We have four home games in September. Each of these will be instrumental in determining the direction of the 2010 season. I believe in our team, our staff and our fans, and I look forward to where that will take us. We need you there in Neyland Stadium wearing orange and white and making a difference for these young men with your loud, consistent and vocal support.
This is a special place. We count it a blessing to work for and represent you each day. Thanks for being the greatest fans in America.
Sincerely yours,
Mike Hamilton
Tennessee 69, South Carolina 57 men's…
Vanderbilt 65, Tennessee 47, Jan. 24…
Signing day celebration at Neyland…
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Comments » 43
HHUUMMBBLLEE writes:
fire mike hamilton
shoalcreekvol writes:
Football's in the air! Bring on the Orange!
ChattaVol1 writes:
Thanks Mr. Hamilton! I will be there for the Vol Walk and Game and look forward to supporting our new Coach and Team..
easleychuck writes:
Can't you come up with something more original than this rehash?
You were wrong about Crompton, Wonderboy and Hamilton. You were wrong big time about last year's UT - UF football and the UT - KS mens' basketball games.
ChurchHillVol writes:
It's finally football time in Tennessee!!! I know several people are against Mike Hamilton, but give me a break, most of us drank the Kiffen kool-aid and it bit us, but last year when we were drinking it, we were not slamming Hamilton, he tried to give us a young energetic recruiting beast and he did that, Kiffen is the one who burnt us, and I for one think his hiring of Dooley will pay dividends in the future, it still needs to be seen, but I am looking forward to giving Coach Dooley a chance. Mike Hamilton has always answered any question I have had via e-mail in the past and I would guess that not many AD's do that. While people criticize him, they forget about the great hire of Bruce Pearl and how well we are doing in other sports. I for one believe the football hire will prove to be his best so far! This is just one fan's opinion and no matter what the nay sayers go on and on and on about I bleed orange can't wait to see my Tennessee Vols run through the Power T!!!!!!!
AtlantaTide writes:
Now that's funny I don't care who you are...
BrassMonkey writes:
Nice post.
Headline should read. "Please buy more tickets, we established our budget using higher ticket sale targets"
DownTheField writes:
you are a complete nut case
and there is nothing humble about you except the size of your manhood
BigOrangeFreak writes:
At least he's got a job. I recommend you get one as well. Once you get the job, you can start working on getting a life. Go Big Orange!
SEAL_9821 writes:
AGREED! Time to put the women and children to bed and get down to business.
gnm53108 writes:
Pretty good letter...Somehow I dont think he got any of john adams input.
FearTheVols1252 writes:
I'm currently drinking Dool-aid! :)
Volunatic writes:
Noted.
BigOrangeBill writes:
This is the type comment that makes me want to just quit reading these posts. The majority of UT fans truly appreciated Coach Fulmer great years at UT.... BUT most I talked with agreed with Mr. Hamilton's tough decision. Most of us also bought into his hiring of Kiffen. The hiring of Coach D was a great hire considering the absolutely IMPOSSIBLE situation Mr. Hamilton found himself in. It's so easy just to criticize! Try to remember, most of Mr. Hamilton's attempts to hire top echelon coaches WERE REPEATEDLY TURNED DOWN. He then used great judgement to get what could easily turn out to be a super hire. Relax and be a bit more HHUUMMBBLLEE, if that's possible.
InertGas writes:
Here, Here...
AZ_Vol writes:
"As we work towards that end, I would ask for your unwavering support of these young men who have been through so much."
You've got this backwards, Hamilton, and this reasoning explains much of the 'turmoil' recently. The fans and supporters are not the problem with the image, and the support from both of these groups are not in question. What is in question is the judgment of yourself, recruiters and administration by not evaluating the student-athletes and their character BEFORE you sign them.
It is THEY, the student-athletes, not the fans or supporters, that you should be soliciting support from. The University of Tennessee is bigger than the current crop of student-athletes.
It is my fervent hope that you, Hamilton are able to distinguish the difference between men and males. So far, you haven't done a very good job of that.
I'll support these kids with all my heart and soul. But I'll support the entire school over all. It is your abilities and policies and the type of student-athletes that you choose to represent our school that is in question; a clear line of demarcation that indicates where the waning is coming.
NashvillePreds writes:
Where is VolsNOTHAMILTONfan, or whatever is name is... I figured he would be first to comment.
I think Mike killed dude's kitten.
BIVOLAR_BEAR writes:
I agree with MH, there is plenty to be thankful for these days..HBTV！！
tikanique#439679 writes:
Mike Hamilton needs to exit stage left, get ghost, scram, leave the building, bow out gracefully, however you need it to be said. He needs to GO AWAY!!!
BIVOLAR_BEAR writes:
He did re-sign..
BigCityVol writes:
notHamiltonFan...
Hamilton brought in Pearl and in a couple of seasons everyone will say he also brought in Dooley---he has paid enough for the Kiffin fiasco--let it go
196SVol writes:
I guess this means no FEMA-type mass-exodos during halftime on 9-18?
volfan4life1998 writes:
"Sincerly yours,
Mike Hamilton" hahaha sincerly yours?
Colliervol writes:
Good post BOB. We all appreciated Phil's years and many of us stood by him for as long as we could. But it was painfully evident that it was time and Hamilton (and the board)had to make the tough decision. Don't know if Kiffin was a bad hire or not because he wasn't here long enough. Might have calmed down and been a great hire or he might have had us on Alabama type probation in 3 years. Who knows?
As far as being "repeatedly turned down", I would point out that many of the top echelon guys (Kelly and Tuberville) were already gone and several of the young "up and comers" out West obviously wanted no part of the SEC. They chose to not hunt with the big dogs and stayed on the porch. At least Dooley had the cujones to tackle a major rebuilding job in the toughest conference in the land.
TennVolAlum writes:
It will take a LONG 3 years of losing to get Dooley and Co out of here, and unfortunately, we will all have to deal with Hammy for that long since Dooley's hire is a "make or break" for MH. Baseball is going nowhere, and mens basketball seems to be the only sport raking in the cash. Sorry lady vols and country club sports....y'all just don't cut it in the financial end of things.
alvol writes:
Let me guess. Your glass is half empty.
Couchdummy writes:
I don't necessarily think Hamilton should be fired, but I am concerned that he is pricing the common, middle income fan out of the ability to regularly afford to attend games. I agree that building structures and luxury boxes to entice the big money people and to keep the facilities competitive with other schools is important. I just think he is taking it too far and not keeping event prices affordable for the comman working man and his family.
Colliervol writes:
Have you checked ticket prices at other places? It's happening everywhere. That's the price of playing in the big leagues. If you don't, you end up like Memphis where they have to sell $5.00 tickets at Kroger to get people to come to the games.
douglasvolfan writes:
Now THATS funny! I almost fell out of my chair.
beartn#223846 writes:
My main problem with Hamilton is he mishandled the buyouts of Fulmer (raised it to $6 mil 6 months before firing him) and Kiffin (yes, USC would have paid more than $800,000 to get Kiffin, but Hamilton left several million on the table between Fulmer and Kiffin).
I think it's pretty simple. If Dooley doesn't work out (and I REALLY hope he does), then Hamilton is gone.
TennVolAlum writes:
Let me guess...your only glass is a SOLO cup that you've been holding on to from back in your college days. I'm just realistic about the state of the Tenn football program, and the finances of college athletics.
TennVolAlum writes:
That was so funny that you almost fell out of your chair? wow....just wait until you see the offense perform.
Razor784 writes:
Is this what it's come to? Our AD sending out a letter to ask fans to support the team, and earlier this year fans got to pick their seats??? Do you think Fla. and Bama have to stoop to those types of vices for their football programs?
vol_till_i_die writes:
wow, you're super cool.
Classof72 writes:
Now:
"We need you there in Neyland Stadium wearing orange and white..."
Then:
"Hamilton wouldn’t say no to black jerseys, though he did say Tuesday that he doesn’t foresee Tennessee in black “anytime in the near or distant future.”"
"He also says the uniforms are ordered at least a year in advance of the season in which they will be worn, ruling out any changes made by coach Lane Kiffin to the 2009 season."
He misled us.
Why should we wear Orange and White, if the Athletics Director doesn't see to it that the team wears Orange and White? It's like Brigette Jones showing up at the "Tarts and Vicars Ball" dressed like a 'tart', and finding her hosts dressed in regular party clothes. You embarrassed many of us, as did the coach you hired. Support must be earned and never betrayed.
Couchdummy writes:
I see your point if you look at the athletic dept. as a business. In that regard, Hamilton is doing a good job as the defacto COO. When the university chooses to charge students for seating over and above their activity fee, we have lost perspective of what college sports should be as part of the college experience. In another example, the recent 9 million funding for building a bigger, better weight training facility is out of balance spending when you consider that the university does not have funding to support adequate staffing in some colleges at the university.
wazzya69vol writes:
Ditto,,,,110%
wazzya69vol writes:
Thank you easleychuck,,,well said and how appropriate!! GBO
vut56#231073 writes:
Let's see: it was a letter to "fans." All "fans" got it. Why post it here? I have already read it. And, those who want to editoralize, why not just write MH back?
JMO
rclarkfork#639958 writes:
You get on here and act like you know everything there is to know about what goes on at the University. Funny that everyone that is close to what goes on over there knows these things that you act like you are so privy to. So you think that makes you an expert on what Tenn football will be like for the next 25 years. As usual it's just a far fetched statement on your part with absolutely zero merit. You are right Phil took us to heights we had not seen in many years and then turned around and was destroying the football program. If we had left the decision on what to do with Phil in hands such as yours, then you would be right the football program was headed for years in the basement. Who do you think got the football program in this shape, are you going to blame Kiffin? He may not be the greatest personality on the planet but he recruited players that Phil could not even get to open their front door. The football program was in a shambles and the man to blame was not Hamilton, it was not Kiffin and it is certainly not Dooley, no your man Phil single handily did it so quit the all mighty speech you pull out every week and crawl back into that hole you come out of. Phil did some good things for this program but the way football is played today had passed Phil by and he could not change and our program is in terrible condition because of it..Give Dooley a chance, someone has to build the program back up. Every time you come out of your hole to spout nonsense I think about how many schools have lined up to hire him, kind of shows what the football people in America think of him......as I said, many of us know everything that happened with the Pearl hiring but the difference in you is that is the only true thing you ever say...LMAO
crappieking writes:
Well said.
EMBuckles writes:
I think that UT could do a lot worse than Hamilton as the AD. And I figure that he probably has that job for the next couple of years until at least after the new President settles in if not longer. And no matter how UT is doing, in football, in any particular season, if I was the coach or player for any UT opponent, I would still go into Neyland Stadium with fear and trembling as I faced that sea of Orange and White with over 100,000 fans screaming for my blood and a team which is gonna try to do it's best to kick my butt hard no matter how well they are doing. Tennessee will probably do a lot better than some people are predicting, this year, and do extremely well in the future. Tennessee's worst is a good year for a lot of other teams and it's best is up there with the champions. And Tennessee has many championships ahead of them. You just wait and see.
NashvillePreds writes:
Who is Haslem?
I know of a Haslam family, but no Haslems.
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