The Tennessee athletic department needs an ambulance.
Don't worry. Point guard Trae Golden's hamstring didn't take a turn for the worse.
Wrong player. Wrong sport.
This is about football, and the players to come. It's about a program in need of emergency help.
New coach Butch Jones sized up the situation right away, hence the message to recruits: "Don't go where you're wanted; go where you're needed."
The need has never been greater. The Vols have suffered through three consecutive losing seasons and are now chasing Vanderbilt as well as Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, etc., in the SEC.
So the "go-where-you're-needed" message is perfect. It just needs amplification. Siren-size amplification.
That's where the ambulance comes in. Paint it orange and white. Play "Rocky Top" on the speakers. Drive it all over the Southeast for the last few days leading up to signing date. Get the word out.
The ambulance would send a couple of powerful messages, appealing to a recruit's humanity as well as his ambition. Here's a chance to help a program when it's down. Here's a chance for immediate playing time.
Don't say, "It's too late for this recruiting class." It's only too late if a student-athlete has validated his commitment in writing.
Players change their minds daily for all kinds of reasons, both practical and bewildering. So sound the siren in front of the recruit's house and see what happens.
But don't think of this as a Hail Mary approach to recruiting. Think of it as an integral part of UT's grand recruiting plan — strategic, rather than desperate.
Suddenly, Tennessee wouldn't just be the school with the checkerboard end zone. It would be The School With The Ambulance.
Remember the recruiting buzz generated by former UT coach Lane Kiffin and his wing man, Ed Orgeron, flying over Atlanta in a helicopter? Gimmicks work. Why else would former UT basketball coach Kevin O'Neill have introduced himself to a prominent recruit while wearing a gorilla suit.
If a coach disguised as a gorilla makes an impression, imagine the everlasting mark an orange-and-white ambulance would leave. Recruits who might never have given Tennessee a second thought would schedule a visit just so they could see the ambulance.
Once the Vols got a recruit on campus, they could dazzle him with their opulent facilities while educating him to the glory days of the mid-to-late 1990s when Tennessee dominated Alabama and only had to contend with Nick Saban in recruiting ventures against Michigan State.
You think Saban creates a stir when he visits rural America in pursuit of a potential contributor to his next national championship? Imagine what impact a Tennessee ambulance would have on the small-town populace. Folks would be talking about it for years.
And the only thing better than word-of-mouth advertising is word-of-mouth advertising from one recruit to another.
One Recruit: Coach Saban is coming to my school today.
Another Recruit: Big deal. The Tennessee ambulance is coming to my school today.
Saban's voice carries well, but not as well as a siren. The ambulance wouldn't just be louder. It would be newer, flashier and almost as hip as deer-antler spray.
And it could help regenerate UT's recruiting.
John Adams is a senior columnist. He may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knoxnews.com. Follow him at http://twitter.com/johnadamskns
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Comments » 37
jack4444 writes:
Disgusting article I figure Adams was forced to write on deadline.
I can picture the half empty fifth of Jack next to his keyboard.
formerflgranny writes:
The ambulance is on it's way to your office right now JA and they have their straight jackets ready. Your a moron!!!
decades_vol writes:
A great hack attack, written while on apple jack, or maybe even crack.
volthrunthru#658770 writes:
A larger ambulance than described is needed for UT Athletics. Almost all sports are very, very sick.
And the leadership for the University and the Department all have the same problem---they cannot figure out that they succeed if they do what champions have done...without breaking the rules.
But they would have to call a few people and act like they do not know it all---and for Hart that is hard, since he worked at a school where rules were regularly broken and nobody was usually caught. Money flowed freely at Florida State...and certainly big bucks by big boosters' being banked by bigtime boys being ballyhooed is the M.O.; and Hart never had a problem going to workin that atmosphere.
So what we have, here at UT, under Cheek, Hart and the President of the Month is a puddle of nonchalance. None of them give a X(E*;w about UT Sports.
All they care about is themselves.
UT is going down the toilet every time I read about one of the sports team...or see one of them on Television.
And because these three bozos will not ask for help---since obviously NONE of them knows jack about launching winning programs ethically---UT Athletics will flush away, unless these losers are stopped.
Last guy who knew anything about building a winner at UT was fired by the losers who hired the three losers named above, and hired Mike Hamilton, the incompetent, as well.
When the people in charge cannot tell winners from losers---and continually decide to screw over the winners and back losers---
you get what UT has become---athletics losers. (Did you get a load of that defenseless team wearing Orange, at Arkansas, in Bud Walton Arena?
Guess it kind of says it all that Hamilton, Cheek, the President of the Week all decided to set Bruce Pearl up, by promising him they would back him, and then making sure he twisted in the wind, instead.
And they fired Fulmer.
And they hired Delmonico's 1st replacement.
And they have a Swimming coach w/moarl turpitude problems.
And they hired Hart.
And they hired Martin.
And the sideshow goes on, but nobody is laughing anymore.
The Governor needs to appoint a special master to investigate the program, and the University's inability to realize any acceptable return on a $1BILLION dollars per decade budget...
volsreign writes:
I generally like your articles, John, but... really?
rb4346 writes:
John did you find the lost cache of ripple wine hidden by Fred Sanford...
ut4life05 writes:
Is it ironic that he mis-spells you're in the statement 'your a moron'? Horrible article JA
atnvol#283282 writes:
John, you and I are about the same age.....this article makes me want to be more self observant.....especially around my children.
Sir_Spanky writes:
I believe a hurse would be more fitting.
bigorangebolt writes:
John Adams is an idiot! He writes nothing to support UT! Why is he still employed? Please send him back, where came from La?
KnoxVegas88 writes:
I believe getting that GED would be a good step for you. Plus you need to work on your spelling (hearse) instead of spewing your **** on here.
licknpromise777#651578 writes:
I agree..Bell and that RB Henry would be stars and would start immediately but it appears that NC rings and playing on unbeaten teams trumps all that..These kids have no desire to be a part of a losing;rebuilding teams..Bama just signed the best RB group Ive ever seen and those recruits EGO are big enough to believe they can outplay Yeldon!!Next year you will be reading about RB's like Hart or Drake who will be faced with reality that the competition for playing time has them stuck at 4th string and Saban's promise to make them a star is BS; and they end up at GA State or Kansas
gc_scvol writes:
Dooley is gone. You're still "Little Brother", and life goes on. What possible joy can you derive from your constant slander of The University of Tennesse Athletic Dept. You will nver be more than a disgruntled, angry, narcissitic "Never Was". Get over yourself and for God's sake find a purpose in life. Oh, and by the way, I didn't even read the entire post..No need..We all know by now what you have to say..So predictable. GBO VFL
vut5686#1405392 writes:
What does Adams' headline imply? We should supply a courtesy car to any 4 star, or above? "What kind of 'ride' would you like? Lexus? Escalade? Suburban with dark windows?"
Worse, the little play on words does not warn us of the ingredients...which are harmful to ones health. Just JA being JA.
DC82_Vol writes:
It really makes me wonder why coaches can't sign top recruits at TN. Kiffin did it. I know he is a shady person but how do places like Notre Dame and Michigan out recruit TN? We have fans, facilities, academics, TN girls are beautiful, great campus and the list goes on and on. Women's athletics seems to be able to recruit top recruits. Why is it a hard sell for the men's side of the house? I am really serious when I ask this question. Any legitimate answers?
Razor784 writes:
I think Adams has officially lost it now, get some help John
fanzzz writes:
12th in the SEC. 44th in the Country
4. Texas A&M
5. LSU
7. Florida
8. Georgia
9. Alabama
11. Mississippi
19. Vanderbilt
20. Mississippi State
24. Auburn
25. South Carolina
32. Missouri
44. Tennessee
47. Kentucky
60. Arkansas
BIVOLAR_BEARE writes:
That's total BS and you know it..If my memory serves me NSD will be Wednesday, and if you crunch the numbers UT's % of stars per athlete is higher than all of the teams listed except Bama, FU and LSU..So, GTH!
BolivrBob writes:
Deadline drivel
PHAT_VOL writes:
CHARLIE HIGH Why not give the guy a full ride? Its a nice jesture from coach Butch and something Dooley would have never done. Look at the seventeen recruits. If your gonna give a scolly to a two star junior college guy then why not give on to a two star QB who has five years to prove himself? Dose anyone know how many we can sign this year? My guess is this coaching staff will be snatching and grabbing at the end to just fill up the list. SO, why not give Charlie High a full ride.
Rivals has him listed at 6'2" and some say he is 6'. Does anyone remember Doug Flutie? He is 5'10" with a truck load of heart and plenty of football sense. Heart is like speed it dosent have off days and good football sense can be hard to come by. So come on coach Jones give him a full ride. Oh, yea one other thing he is a TENNESSEE VOLUNTEER through and through. Now how much is that worth?
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football...
GO VOLS!!!
CoverOrange writes:
Will Mike Strange or someone grow enough cohones to tell JA he is NOT funny.
PHAT_VOL writes:
John Adams is for John Adams.
fanzzz writes:
The list above is according to Scout. According to Rivals Tennessee is 32 in the country and 11 in the SEC. It is what it is.
gc_scvol writes:
And you are what you are.
Olddogsrule writes:
KNS FIRE JOHN ADAMS AND THE EDITORS THAT LET HIM PUBLISH SUCH DRIVEL!!!!
FIRE JOHN ADAMS!
FIRE JOHN ADAMS!
FIRE JOHN ADAMS!
FIRE JOHN ADAMS!
FIRE JOHN ADAMS!
FIRE JOHN ADAMS!
FIRE JOHN ADAMS!
FIRE JOHN ADAMS!
FIRE JOHN ADAMS!
FIRE JOHN ADAMS!
FIRE JOHN ADAMS!
FIRE JOHN ADAMS!
UTvols33 writes:
At first I thought he was joking. Then he mentioned it again, then again, and again and again. This dude has lost it. Speaking of "losing it," GlenFord and volrunthru seem like really fun people. I want to hang with you guys and sink into a deep, dark depression.
"Blah, blah, blah, SHEEPLE, blah, blah. SHEEPLE, SHEEPLE, blah blah-blah, blah. Hart is bad, Hamilton is bad, Fulmer is God, blah blah, blah. Really long post that says nothing. I have no suggestions or solutions, all I talk about is negative stuff. Tennessee is awful but I still read about them. Blah, blah blah, blah, blah. SHEEPLE."
fanzzz writes:
Attacking me, or John Adams for that matter, isn't going to make Tennessee a better team.
jmaples54 writes:
z.
murrayvol writes:
What's a "special master"?? Or perhaps we don't want to know.
murrayvol writes:
In Spanky's world hurse works just fine.
murrayvol writes:
John, I have it on "good authority" this was discussed at a recent AD meeting and shelved for lack of funds.
6972 writes:
I don't believe I just read that. JA, are you kidding me/us? Don't hold your breath waiting for a Pulitzer prize for journalism.
jhayes0926#638474 writes:
BB, I know what you're saying, but in all honesty UT is currently 9th in SEC in stars per commit according to Rivals. UT is 3.2 stars per, which is lower even than S.C. at 3.4 and AU at 3.5 and even Ms Stat at 3.4. Sorry.
murrayvol writes:
As Yogi might say "it ain't over til it's over".
I'm still hoping for a couple or three surprises to get us to the upper half of the SEC pack. We'll know on Wednesday.
Coach_K writes:
No1 thought C. Stoerner was gonna fumble either. I was there for that, and I'll be here for this victory as well.
BigOrangeSmoker writes:
once again useless info from a useless guy
easleychuck writes:
Great points. Don't have the time or inclination to respond to little gff's dribble. The one observation that many of "its" ilk seem to possess is their 20/20 hindsight. Freaking mental giants, they are not.
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