Comments by DwayneElizondoMountainDewHerbertCamacho

Written on Source: Trae Golden's departure 'based on academics' and 'repeated plagiarism':

in response to VOLsince68:

It's a moot point now. He's gone and we need a PG.

Also, Landry was not going to cut it here anyway.

GO VOLS!!!

Then why did Martin offer him a scholarship. Either Martin is really, really stupid or this comment is really stupid. Can't be be both.

Written on UPDATED: Martin grants Yemi Makanjuola release from Tennessee to transfer:

I'm officially off the Martin bandwagon. He's getting paid too much to recruit Juco kids for nothing but their size. And if you're honest, you'll admit that Ndiaye is really only being recruited because he is big. Imagine if he were 6 foot 7, do you think he would have an offer with UT?

Personally, I quit caring about men's basketball when UT's administration decided to throw Pearl under the bus (http://www.govolsxtra.com/news/2011/j...) and totally wuss out before the NCAA. I wasn't excited by the Martin hire, but he had a better overall average record than Dooley, so I thought "What the hell? Give the guy a shot." Over the last two seasons though, he's been pretty disappointing. The team isn't getting better and he isn't upgrading or developing players.

Next season is going to be a train wreck. Disagree with me if you want. Say I'm not a Vols fan or whatever, but there's enough evidence surrounding Martin's time at UT that makes me feel like it's a pretty good bet that he isn't the guy for the job.

Its so much easier to fail in this business than succeed and Martin just doesn't have the "it" factor to succeed as a college basketball coach. Of course, neither do I, but nobody's paying me millions of dollars to lose in the SEC championship, fail to make the cut for the NCAA, or go out in the first round of the NIT.

Its a bit disturbing the amount of money UT Athletics wastes on mediocrity. Why not just admit that we can't pay enough to be successful, hire a coach for $500,000 a year and eat about four years of debt-management-crappy-athletics until we get our cash cow (football) back on track? Why keep overspending on mediocre coaches hoping to get lucky?

UT Athletics is like the desperate guy at the roulette table covered in sweat, his tie all messed up, who keeps mumbling "Just one more time. This time I'll hit. It's gotta hit," over and over.

UT needs to ride out Martin's contract, welcome any opportunity to negotiate a release and then hire one of Martin's support staff for a pittance. Pump any added revenues into debt or financing football.

Written on ESPN levels new set of allegations against already-embattled Auburn:

in response to dvols:

blah blah blah, ESPN is just a TV show

used to be a sporting news program....

So...reporting that a BCS college football champion cheated and manipulated its way through it's championship season isn't "sporting news"?

Written on Former UT running backs coach Jay Graham will make $275,000 at Florida State:

I love the revisionist history that some of the posters engage in whenever we have a coach leave. "We're better off without him." "The new coach (no matter who that person is) is an upgrade." "We don't want him if he doesn't want to be here."

A year ago, when Graham was hired, you guys who are criticizing him were crowing like roosters on a pile of dung:

"Oh Lawdy! Jay Graham is here to save the day! Derek Dooley done hired him a superstar and he's a REAL Vol for life. Ooooh child, we gonna be back!"

Now you're the same ones claiming that he's mediocre and that Gillespie, who has never developed a talent anywhere close to Marcus Latimore, is an upgrade.

Ya'll kill me. Monte Kiffin was better than Chief. Dooley was an upgrade over Kiffin. Sal Sunseri was the GREATEST DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR IN THE HISTORY OF COORDINATION. And most of you think that Butch Davis is one recruiting class away from winning the British Open and the BCS Championship simultaneously because "he wants to be here."

SummittsCourt, you've raised this to an art form:

"Sunseri, Graham, and Pittman... When Dooley has the time and the opportunity to do a thorough job he can hire the best coaches." -Jan. 13, 2012

"Jay Graham was a good hire because he is a great RB coach and recuiter, not because he is a former Vol player." -June 30, 2012

"Good, my only complaint is that [Graham] waited this long to leave. He wasn't all that as a recruiter anyway." -Feb 25, 2013

(I mean...c'mon. Even you have to admit that that is pretty amazing. It's like watching a mental train switch tracks because the light changed color.)

Why can't everyone just admit that Graham was a good coach? Gillespie is an unknown. We'll see what he can do, maybe he's better, but he is probably a downgrade at that position. No harm saying that. It's just reality. Try it, you might like it.

Written on Offseason could be time to evaluate Cuonzo Martin's contract:

If I were Hart and Martin's agent approached me asking for an extension, I would fire Martin on principle...but then, if I were Hart, I would be a robot sent back in time to destroy UT athletics.

Martin has barely earned his contract salary. I hope that the "source" is wrong on this, because if Martin does believe he's entitled to an extension or a raise, then he's not the guy I thought he was. Maybe that's why his kids can't finish close games..they expect to be rewarded simply for showing up.

Why the hell did I not go into coaching college athletics? I hate it that I have to actually produce results to keep my current job. It's hard. I would also like to be paid if I fail and have to be fired because I'm destroying my company. That would be great!

Written on Mike Strange: In many ways, things seem same after Cunozo Martin's second season :

Would a healthy Maymon have started for any other top 25 program in the country? Top 10? Is Martin getting the job done if he loses a single top 25 player (I think the answer to that one is definitely "yes") and then the entire season implodes?

It's basketball so I think Martin gets another two years, but I'm officially off the Cuonzo Martin bandwagon. I like the guy, but I just don't see UT advancing past a mediocre SEC team that occasionally pulls off the odd upset.

Hope I'm wrong.

Written on Season ends for Vols in NIT opener, 75-67:

in response to tennrich1:

Win, Lose, Draw....no one...including you, me and the rest of the nation cares about the NIT...and thats coming from a huge college sports fan and Vol man....just dont care...watched about 5 minutes of it...NO WAY ON THIS EARTH THIS TEAM COULD MATCH THE GET UP THAT MERCER HAD...it was that way from Sunday night until now...heck, we didnt stop talking about not going to the NCAA until sometime last night...Could they have won? sure...was the chance of losing greater than say 80%? Absolutely...SO DONT PUT MUCH STOCK IN AN NIT TOURNAMENT...lets act like adults and move on...

So...the adult thing is to NOT do your best because your butthurt and bitter?

That's strange, but then I never read the "Berenstain Bears and the Value of Quitting Because You Didn't Get Your Way."

I should definitely find that one for my kids...they keep trying soooo hard to be good at stuff. Losers....

Anyway, thanks for the life lesson!

P.s. I don't have kids, but if I did, I would definitely use the "Tennrich Teaching Kids How to Work Hard Only When They Think It's Important Method."

P.p.s. Also, do you realize that you contradicted yourself by saying that nobody cares about the NIT and then pointing out that Mercer cared about the NIT?

Written on Season ends for Vols in NIT opener, 75-67:

in response to GerryOP:

Amen brother. Let's look forward to next year. Nothing at stake tonight. Stokes had another double-double. Good job Jarnell! Trae had 20. Good job Trae! Hope the rest of you guys had a good time ... with no pressure.

So what if they were to win the NIT? Doubt if UT would find a big market for t-shirts bragging about "We're #69." Write tonight off to charity ... you made Mercer's day!

Hey guys, good job. For the 2nd year in a row you exceed most predictions. Thanks! Have a great summer and come back in September/October ready to go back to work. Thanks for all you have done for Dear Old UT!

Gerry...I really gotta hand it to you. Nobody celebrates mediocrity and failure like you do. And that's actually an impressive feat considering how many UT fans get excited when the team is able to get on the bus as a group.

"For the 2nd year in a row you exceed most predictions."

Who is making these pathetic, weak predictions? Oh..that's right, the "National Conference of Amateur GerryOP." This team LOST TO MERCER. I don't even know where Mercer is.

Your sunshine, rainbows, and unicorn farts are more befitting a pre-K girls soccer league than a nationally competitive collegiate program("Hey little ladies, the important thing is that you tried your best and that you made some new friends! Who wants ice cream?!")

Please be quiet while the rest of us lament the demise of our once proud and successful athletics. At this point complaining about how pathetic UT sports are is pretty much all we have. I would say "It can't get worse," but Dave "Who is Bill Battle?" Hart is still driving our broke athletics program into directly into the wilderness and desolation of Division II.

Bruce Pearl needs to come back. I don't care that the lied to the NCAA. The NCAA is a corrupt and hypocritical organization and the only thing I regret about Pearl lying is that he eventually told the truth. Think about this: If Pearl had continued to lie to the NCAA, then he would have been punished only for illegal contact with a recruit, but as soon as he was honest and admitted his "mistake" he was slapped with a 3 year show cause.

Written on Did Tennessee deserve to make the NCAA tournament?:

in response to SummittsCourt:

Only 3 SEC teams made the 68 team field. I call BS on that!

I guess the bogus selection committee doesn't want the SEC to dominate basketball like they do football and baseball.

Is there any real risk of that?

That's kind of like saying that I don't let my dog into the kitchen because I'm worried he'll perfectly cook a rack of lamb.

Written on Rejection Sunday: Vols left out of NCAA tournament, receive No. 2 seed in NIT:

Cuonzo Martin has 365 opportunities to fix UT men's basketball until we are back here again. Let's all sincerely hope that he does. He's a heck of a good person and I really hope that he's the great basketball coach we all want him to be.

And for everyone saying that Martin has done a good job considering "the hand he was dealt." I'm sorry, but that's the kind of excuse that someone making under $500,000 a year gets to make. We pay Martin millions to take what is available and win. If he can't do that, then he has to go. It's business.

Written on Reaction to Jalen Hurd's commitment on social media:

I've dogged Butch Jones in the past, but this is a huge get. Very impressive. Hope he proves me just as wrong on the field this fall.

Written on Butch Jones says Vols are on run of 'momentum':

in response to SummittsCourt:

Just come back and don't change your name when the Vols start winning again.

PS - you are an idiot!

I can't tell you how many times you and your Orange koolaide drinking buddies did the whole "come back when the Vols start winning" thing during Dooley's 3 years.

I am tempted to give Coach Jones the benefit of the doubt, but your history on coaching evaluations is so bad that now I'm starting to worry that the Vols are doomed to another three years of horrible to mediocre football.

P.s. Dooley said pretty much the same stuff when he started coaching and you drank it down and asked for more. Here you are again.

Written on Butch Jones says Vols are on run of 'momentum':

in response to gerwmor:

I am increasingly excited about where the program is going and where it can be in 3 years. The one thing, the only thing, I will give Kiffen is he seemed to understand UT tradition when he embraced Coach Majors. Obviously could not do that with Fulmer under the circumstances of his hiring. I am thrilled to hear that Coach Majors was at practice, was embraced by the former and current players, and that Coach Jones gets it, what it means to be UT. The Vol future can only thrive built on the tradition of the past. And CBJ does understand this basic truth. Damn it is good to be a Vol!

Johnny Majors endorsed Kiffin and Dooley. You could put an orange windbreaker on a goat and Majors would show up to see Coach Goats first practice. I'm not saying that Majors doesn't deserve respect, but we sure as hell know that him being at practice doesn't mean diddly squat when we face off against UF in September.

Tradition is great, but I prefer actually winning games. That's the funny thing about tradition, it's always in the past and we're always building it in the present, whether we want to or not. Right now UT has the tradition of being a pathetic SEC football team that has fallen behind our rivals in recruiting and wins in October. THAT is our tradition.

If Coach Jones discovers that the burning the maxims will magically lead to championships...then I say burn them. Let's make winning a tradition instead of the memory of winning. Let's not pretend that a lack of respect for tradition (rather than two horrible hires at head coach) has been UT's real problem these past four years. Let's actually acknowledge the fact that the head coach is the most important factor for winning in college football. And lets all take a deep breath and realize that while Jones is probably better than Dooley, he hasn't ever won a game against an SEC opponent and he's about to run into a level of competition that he has never encountered in his coaching career.

If Jones loses in the fall, it wont' be because he didn't pray hard enough at the alter of UT tradition, it will be because he's in over his head.

Written on Mike Strange: Bubble watch shines spotlight on Vols, SEC tournament:

in response to GreeneVol:

The conference comparisons can't be anymore than the out of conference match-ups which were a long time ago...I know, it's the only thing they have to go on. SEC must not have faired so well. But these jokers saying Ole Miss, Alabama and Tennessee all three not making the tournament? Leaving just Florida, Missouri and a badly-limping Kentucky in the field of sixty-however many teams? Really?

Surprised to hear Martin say 'the work is done'...I hope that is out of context from the way this article portrays it.

That's exactly what I was thinking. The only sure way for the Vols to go dancing is to win the SEC tournament. Martin should have these guys pushing all the way to the finish, not throwing up their hands and hoping for a lucky break.

I have to admit...coming from Martin...that's a pretty strange thing to say and a pretty non-Martin-ish sentiment to possess.

If UT wants to get into the NCAA on the bubble, a win over Bama would go a long way to securing that berth.

Written on David Climer: Tennessee Vols' Cuonzo Martin is the right coach at the right time:

Martin still needs to show up at the SEC tournament. The NCAA committee members will know to watch how the men play. The Vols men have historically been horrible at tournament play and a first round loss could see us playing in the NIT in no time. This group deserves better and I hope that they get it done. Two wins in the SEC tourney and I think we're in the big dance no problem.

Written on Tennessee head coach Holly Warlick reacts in frustration during the SEC Tournament game against Texa:

That picture of Coach Warlick pretty much sums up how I've felt about UT sports for years.

Written on More Tennessee spring football position-by-position by previews: Offensive, defensive lines:

I don't think that we've had an offensive line this absolutely loaded with talent since the late 1990s. It's one of those scenarios where a young QB could have a total breakout year and secure an NFL draft position for himself regardless of how he plays the year after (ala Jake Locker). Really, really hope that happens. I think our receiver corps will be fine, but our running game will be mediocre because we just don't have the backs big enough to hit that line and then break away. Hopefully the defense will start coming together.

Still...it's real shame that we have this O-line, but so much uncertainty surrounding the offense.

Written on Derek Dooley and fired assistants will cost UT an estimated $7.5 million:

in response to vut5686#1405392:

For the past five-six years, many voices have clamored to throw out the coaches, ... whoever they were, at the time. Every such voice must have understood that, if you throw out the coaches, you get to keep the obligations. We cannot now clamor at the cost since we clamored for the actions. It could be argued that the UT Athletic department simply yielded to public pressure. Now, we pay the piper.

And yes, we will see the replay as long as we open these pages to read them.

It's important to remember that for those of us clamoring to throw out the coaches also made a parallel request...hire a coach better than the one we want thrown out.

It's the second half of that equation that UT seems to have the biggest problem with. At least with Butch Jones we have a coach with a winning record.

I don't think he'll win in the SEC, but UT seems to be making progress...slow...stupid...expensive progress.

Written on Derek Dooley and fired assistants will cost UT an estimated $7.5 million:

in response to DukeDeLuca2:

I think Fulmer received only 3 million. There was much more crying and gnashing of teeth over Fulmer's buyout than Dooley's.

I recall there were also tears because Fulmer wasn't "loyal" enough to return the money.

Balderdash.

Ask yourself this question. Would you return millions of dollars that you were entitled to receive?

Of course not.

Here's the answer. Let the professional coaches finish what they start. They won't win 10 games every year, but they will every few years.

Use some common sense.

Carry on.

Fulmer's buyout was $6 million. He should have been fired, but he also shouldn't have been awarded a contract extension (including a $6 mil buyout) the year before he was fired based simply on the fact that he backed into an SEC championship appearance.

And if anyone was more upset with Fulmer's buyout than with Dooley's...they are idiots. At least Fulmer had the chops to command that kind of money. Dooley had NOTHING. He was a buffoon who won a few games in 2008 and then swindled Mike "Please Swindle Me" Hamilton into contract terms that were psychotic. Dooley had exactly zero other offers. UT was offering to pay double what was his then current salary. We were negotiating from a position of ultimate power, but since we were desperate we let Dooley dictate terms to us. Pathetic.

If I was Dooley, would I return that money? Hell no! It was owed to him via the terms of his contract. But then, if I was Hamilton, I also wouldn't have negotiated such a monumentally stupid buyout for a coach that didn't deserve it.

And no...coaches in this league don't get to ride out their contracts when they stink up the field. This is the SEC. This is 2013. This is reality. You either win or you go coach in the Big East...or you win in the Big East and the come work for UT.

And anyone who thinks that Dooley was ever going to win 10 games in the SEC wasn't paying attention. Sorry...I'm not going to win 10 games in the SEC and neither was Derek Dooley. Reality is a B.

Written on Derek Dooley and fired assistants will cost UT an estimated $7.5 million:

in response to tgiles1944#654264:

There is no Coach or Athlete walking the face of this earth that is worth over 1 million dollars a year and if 95% had to get another job they would make less than $30,000 a year. What a shame this whole matter has gotten too!

This is a really, really dumb post.

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/20...

But then...you're probably indicative of most UT fans. You have a 1950s mindset walking around trying to figure out why UT isn't competitive anymore.

College football is a business and until UT recognizes that, enjoy your mediocrity.

Written on Mike Strange: Vols' tournament hopes derailed:

in response to flatrock:

Wow! What an insightful piece of gibberish, Jimmy Joe. We have no problem with Coach Martin. He is quality from top to bottom and has added a huge dose of badly-needed integrity to UTAD.

Maybe...but his kids don't win. Are we paying him over a million a year to be a pillar of integrity? Do people take their hard earned money, pay for a ticket, pay for parking, buy a soda and a hot dog, sit down in Thompson-Boling and say, "Man will you just look at the integrity walking on that sideline!"?

I like Martin as a person, but he needs to figure out how to win or find another job. In my mind, he deserves another year simply due to the flashes of brilliance we occasionally see out of his kids, but he ain't winning and that's his job.

Written on Source: Graham was offered $40,000 raise to $300,000:

in response to olecountryboy:

This is as BAD as I have ever seen UT. Its like we are sailing a BURNING ship. If Butch and CO. cant turn this around SOON, we wont be relevant for another 5-10 years.

We have a HUGE stadium, that fans dont PACK out anymore, with outstanding Facilities, and still, we change HC's every 2 or 3 years, Assistant Coaches change almost every year that make lateral moves in the coaching ranks. I would like to see how many coaches that we have gone through since Fulmer was let go, compared to other schools in the SEC. I would almost bet that we have made more changes than all other SEC schools COMBINED.

Just dont understand why with all the things that we can offer, that we are still loosing coaches, and suffering humiliating losses (VANDY),(Kentucky). Then we get made a fool of when we do go looking for new coaches. We get turned down, over and over. Then you hear stories of kids that can get into your Georgia, bama, Auburn, Lsu, that cant get into TN. So in return, we have to settle for kids that have lesser talent, and I know it should be about education first, but in this day and age its about Players, Championships, and MONEY. Which is one thing that we have lost ALOT of lately.

Just seems like a BAD DREAM, almost everyday.

We have an administration that is hostile to what it takes to be successful at the top levels of football. We have people in charge that are so terrified of the NCAA that they are constantly breathing down the necks of whatever coaching staff is occupying the front office. We have made a series of really, really bad hiring decisions (extending Fulmer's contract, Derek Dooley, Sal Sunseri, and now this Big East experiment). We aren't willing to pay top dollar because the past administration thought investing in luxury boxes was more important than improving the quality of the product on the field. And UT demonstrated with Bruce Pearl that it's more than happy to throw a successful and loved coach under the bus to save itself.

Finally, recruiting at UT is like storming the beach at Normandy equipped with nothing but a bow and a quiver of arrows. You have to go toe to toe against Saban, Muschamp, Richt, and now Franklin. Sure we have great facilities and early playing time, but that is NOT what the best high school players want. The best high school players see a college program as prep for the NFL. Right now, UT utterly sucks in that department (and if you think that Hunter and Patterson will change this perception...you are wrong).

In short, UT hasn't made the huge commitment it needs to attract the best coaches. We hired an incompetent in Hart and Jimmy Cheek appears committed to the destruction of UT athletics. We embarrassed a hall of fame coach with the way he was dismissed and then left a popular coach to be devoured by the NCAA when he needed our help. If I was a coach, I wouldn't see UT as an attractive employment opportunity either. I would see them as a lucrative employment contract and potentially a huge buyout.

That is why we are still losing coaches.

Written on John Adams: Losing Jay Graham is more than just losing a running backs coach:

in response to pingkr62:

BLAH..BLAH..BLAH..What is the big deal about losing a running back coach. No one is irreplaceable. C.B.J. will hire another one who can probably out coach AND out recruit J.G. If Graham doesn't want to be here then GOOD RIDDANCE!

I agree! No one is irreplaceable, least of all Butch Jones. In three years, we'll replace him with a real SEC coach.

Apparently the best coaching staff in the world just got a whole lot better, because we lost Jay Graham, right?

All you did during the Dooley era was bash people who spoke the truth and said, "This guy can't coach." Now people are speaking the truth again and guess what...here you are again bashing the truth. I like how you think that everything Butch Jones does will be fantastic...just like how you thought everything that Dooley was doing was fantastic. Trust but ask not why, right?

Keep up the attitude though, I'm sure this time you'll be right. Just like you were right about Dooley. Just like you were right about Sunseri. Just like you were right that we'd be better off after Dooley's staff evacuated for lateral positions.

You know absolutely NOTHING about football, your record on this site alone proves it.

Coach Graham is a great coach and an even better recruiter. The idea that we can go out and get someone better is stupid. We'll end up with some C-USA or Big East flunk or Jones will make the same mistake that Dooley made and pretend that running backs don't matter in the SEC and have the TE coach take over.

But no matter...keep rah, rah, rah-ing if it makes you feel better.

Written on Butch Jones impressing 'my mentality' on Vols during grueling workouts:

in response to utvolfan1955:

Wow scumbag, trolling this site at either 2:48 am or 3:48 depending if its eastern time. You should really get a life.

Why is it whenever anyone tells the truth on these boards, they get called a "troll"?

Written on Alabama student details alleged beating at hands of football players:

in response to BigOrangeblood:

Looks like these guys won't be getting medals in the VOLympics.

*Like*

Written on Harrison Smith, Todd Kelly don't support NCAA changes that loosen barriers to recruits :

OMG...how horrible for these kids that people are competing to give them full ride scholarships and the opportunity to compete for a huge payday in the NFL or, at the very least, offer them a great education. That must be terrible! And to do so using social media, cell phones, and popularity...all things that high school students hate! Thank God I'm not a five star recruit. Choosing things is hard.

Boo freaking hoo Todd Kelly.

For the record, if anyone wants to legitimately offer to pay my full ride tuition, room and board, and tutoring for four years at...any...division 1 school, please let me know and you can blow up my cell phone and tell me how great I am for the next two years.

Also, my "I don't feel sorry for Derek Dooley" offer is still on the table. Anyone who wants to pay me a million dollars a year to fail at my job, I'll be more than willing to do that. Also, I'll agree to let you fire me for $5 mil. Oh and in exchange, everyone in TN can hate me. Deal?

Written on UT self-reports 10 violations in athletics since August:

The NCAA is a joke. A strength coach conducts a workout within a week of exams and THAT is a violation?!?

OMG, what a detriment to the academic capabilities of those student athletes that participated in that workout! How were they ever able to study?!? Let's shut down the Rec Center...near exam time. Everyone knows that exercise is horrible for academics.

God, the NCAA is horrible.

Written on In Butch Jones' 'VOLympics,' UT players will earn, lose points for actions away from field:

in response to CoverOrange:

Bible study session? Guess they are all Christians or are expected to be.

Didn't you know that only Christians win football games in the SEC? God LOVES football but he hates it when agnostics, atheists, muslims, jews, hindus, buddhists, pagans, taoists, etc. play and win. Nothing bothers God more than multi-cultural football players.

At least, I think it's God that it bothers. Sometimes I wonder if its the redneck fans of UT that it bothers more, but they tell me that it's God, so that's probably true.

Written on In Butch Jones' 'VOLympics,' UT players will earn, lose points for actions away from field:

Well, if we learned anything from Derek Dooley (orange dog, mountain climbing, VFL, etc.)...team building gimmicks always WORK with 18 to 20 year old kids.

I'm sure this will work well too.

Also, the Bible study class is a great idea. Great way to distinguish ourselves as not a backwoods, hillbilly high school with a huge stadium. Of course...that's just me believing that a person shouldn't be rewarded for choosing one religion over another.

Written on John Adams: The next recruiting class for Butch Jones is crucial, and the clock is ticking :

"Former Tennessee coach Derek Dooley referred to his first season as 'Year Zero.'

Although his assessment didn't catch on with the general populace..."

It certainly caught on with a bunch of idiots that post on here. I can remember them now. "Dooley just needs time." "Dooley did an amazing job at La Tech." "Dooley is a great guy." "Dooley will recruit the best players." "It isn't Dooley's fault...it's Kiffin's fault."

Same people who believed that Year Zero krap will be on these boards next spring saying, "It isn't Jones' fault. It's Dooley's fault," "Next year Jones will win 8 games," "Coach Jones is a hard worker," or (my personal favorite) "Coach Jones wanted to be here so he'll succeed."

UT fans don't want a real coach. They want a drinking buddy that will watch NASCAR with them on Sundays.

Written on John Adams: The next recruiting class for Butch Jones is crucial, and the clock is ticking :

in response to Prostar:

Yeah, we should have hired Petrino, his class is ranked in the 70's somewhere. Maybe we could have stolen Tuberville, his class is full of 2-stars. Oh, I forgot Charlie Strong and even after their showing against Florida his class is ranked in the 60's. Yep, sure is doom and gloom time in Tennessee. These coaches are still living out of suitcases with families still out of town. Give it time to work.

Really? Petrino's WESTERN KENTUCKY recruiting class is evidence that he isn't cut out for the SEC?

Don't worry insightful Vols fan. You'll get your opportunity to compare coaches in September. Petrino is a master at exploiting other teams weaknesses while emphasizing whatever strengths his team has. He's a phooey human being, but it's stupid to argue that he isn't a good coach. Also, considering UT's fate is to recruiting Big East caliber three star players that the rest of the SEC elite ignore...maybe we should have gone after a coach who has a record succeeding with those types of players.

"But...Butch Jones HAS succeeded," you are probably thinking.

And you're right. So let me qualify my statement...has succeeded...IN THE SEC.

In three years, this University will be looking seriously at Bobby Petrino to replace Butch Jones. Book that.

It's Big East Football Time in Tennessee!!

Written on Butch Jones says Vols were 'selective' :

in response to UTvols33:

Geez, here we go again. Bestow your great wisdom upon us, brother. What should UT do? And don't forget to say, "sheeple" in your post.

I've never called people like you "sheeple." Delusional, ridiculous, ignorant, sure. Not sheeple. That's not even a word.

Here’s my wisdom:

Butch Jones wasn't UT's first candidate for a reason. One of those reasons is that in his three years at Cincy, he never beat a team ranked higher than #20 in the Coaches' Poll. He never built a team from scratch, rather he always slid into the spot vacated by his former coach who took a down team to the BCS in two years (I know what you're thinking...that's impossible because it took Johnny Majors 8 years at UT, but it actually happened). Further, Jones hired most of the same staff that never beat a team ranked above 20. That "best coaching staff" couldn't beat Toledo last season. That "best coaching staff" couldn't beat Dooley in 2011. That “best coaching staff” offered a whole mess of players that had committed to Cincy. Great.

Jones is an upgrade over Dooley, but he isn't a big enough upgrade to win in the SEC.

As for what I would do:

First: remove any oversight that J. Cheek has over the Ath. Department. Second: inform Dave Hart that his tenure at UT is tied to football’s success or failure. Third: hold tight. UT has been so incompetently managed for the last 10 years that we can't afford to fire Jones within the next 3 years. He won’t get any more money, especially if all he's going to do is give Big East Coaches raises and then get rid of position coaches like Sam Pittman (more so than Jay Graham, Pittman showed that he was cut out to coach in the SEC). Fourth, I would tell Hart that his job is to hire proven winners. When Martin gets fired after next season, UT goes out and hires a winner at B-ball. Finally, I would hold a press conference admitting that UT athletics has made serious mistakes in its hiring and budgeting over the last decade, but that all staff knows that the UT expects excellence and that anything less will result in a reevaluation of their contracts and apologize to fans for what has happened.

Would I have ever hired Butch Jones? Nope. I would've hired Petrino. The fan base would b**** and moan until Petrino started winning games (watch out for that Western Kentucky game next year). I would have written a HUGE buyout into his contract. What's he going to say? No...I'd rather gut it out at a small school like Western Kentucky? At the very least we would have a shot on gameday and no...I don't care about his history, but then my goal is winning. I don't care if UT fans' delicate Victorian sensibilities are coddled to. UT sports is a business and it should be run like one.

So, there's my wisdom. And please, keep up the criticism. I called Dooley out three years ago and I endured people like you telling me I had no idea what I was talking about, I just wanted an instant fix, or that I was a troll. Guess what...I was right. I'm right about Jones too. If he wins 8 games next year, I'll disappear off these boards. Are you willing to do the same if he loses 7?

Written on Butch Jones says Vols were 'selective' :

in response to brokendownoldvol:

I also remember the Brooks, Nukesses and McDonalds, Boldens.....on and on.

yes...because UT has failed at developing 5 start players, we should automatically assume that that is because all five star players are prima donnas, rather than realize that we've had a succession of coaches unable to develop talent for a variety of reasons like the game passing the coach by (Fulmer), horrible coach (Kiffin), horrible coach (Dooley). Yes...lets go ahead and just assume that five stars (who seem to flourish at other programs strangely enough) are all horrible because UT can't seem to hire a coach that can...coach.

My favorite part about this is that after this sub-par class, guys like you are extolling the virtues of these amazing three star kids and happy that we don't have any five stars because they always burn out. Had Jones signed Lawson or Bell you'd be on these boards crowing about how Jones has brought in the talent.

Delusional...

Written on Butch Jones says Vols were 'selective' :

in response to JBVols1698:

I'm so tired of you idiots. TRUE VOL FAN HERE. TRUE VOL FAN WHO HATES GOING 2-14 IN THE SEC THE LAST 2 YEARS.

TRUE VOL FAN THAT ISN'T POSITIVE ABOUT BEING IRRELEVANT!

TRUE VOL FAN WHO ACTUALLY STOOD UP AND YELLED AT THE KENTUCKY GAME

TRUE VOL FAN WHO IS TIRED OF LISTENING TO YOU IDIOTS TELL ME I'M NOT.

Don't worry brother. There are more of us than you know. I still don't think that a majority of fans truly understand what's happening to our great program; how it is being dragged through the mud by bureaucrats like Cheek and incompetents like Hart.

We survived the Kiffin experiment, we weathered the Dooley experiment, and we'll weather this Big East experimental mess.

Also, don't hate our deluded brothers and sisters. They've eaten UT's table scraps for so long that they wouldn't know a fine dining experience if it was explained to them in crayon. I have faith that one day even they will realize that illogical optimism doesn't win games in the SEC. At least...I hope they will. If they don't, then we will witness the true and irreversible decline of UT football into obscurity.

Written on Butch Jones says Vols were 'selective' :

in response to Vol1968:

I'd rather have hard working 3 star rated guys then prima donna's who think there is an "I" in TEAM. Go VOls.

How true! You gotta feel really bad for Nick Saban. They signed three 5 star players and fourteen 4 star players. God...I feel so bad for him having to deal with all those prima donnas.

Remember that five star kid, Eric Berry, that UT signed? Gaaawd! How horrible was he?!? All he did was expect everything be given to him on a silver platter. I think I can speak for all Vols fans when I say that it was sooooo good to get him off the team. Because UT is not interested in all that flashy 5 star mess.

Nope. We're going to go to the SEC championship because we signed a bunch of hard working 3 stars (because all three stars grew upon a farm doing chores before football practice and love God and love America and love milk). Just like Mississippi State or Missouri or Kentucky...all teams chock full of good, ol'fashioned three start talent.

Yep...really glad that we didn't get Von Bell or Lawson or any of those losers.

Written on Arkansas' in-your-face defense too much for Vols, 73-60 :

in response to licknpromise777#651578:

Thats pretty harsh..Defense was okay in the second half and the Vol bench looked pretty fired up to me..We have players like Moore;Lopez ;Yemi and Reese that just are not SEC ready..Arkansas did not have that problem and ran their regular rotation with one freshman

This attitude kind of sums up why we lose so much in sports. There are always excuses. The bottom line is that this team loses a LOT because they aren't prepared, they aren't talented enough, and they don't have any leadership.

I like Coach Martin. I think that he's a quality, character guy, but with every game it becomes more and more apparent that we can't win with him. The SEC is a weak BB conference and he is struggling.

Still, I don't think you fire him. We can't afford it. Let his contract run out then Jimmy Cheek and Dave Hart can hire...oh that's right...those guys are in charge. Hell, just keep him on staff. We won't win, but at least he won't bring the NCAA down on us.

God...UT sports is pathetic right now.

Written on Updated odds for all of Tennessee's football targets:

in response to GlennFordsFoible:

(This comment was removed by the site staff.)

When President Lincoln said, "You can fool some of the people all of the time" he must have been talking about Volunteer athletics fans.

I'm glad I got to see Pat Summit growing up. That lady was a pure winner. Sadly, a rare talent in the world of TN athletics.

Written on Vonn Bell enjoys his visit to UT:

in response to carbonatedmilk:

(This comment was removed by the site staff.)

Because Alabama WINS. It isn't rocket science. They win championships and give their players the best prep for the NFL.

It isn't rocket science...but then, with this fan base, maybe it is.

UT is still trying to stumble backwards into some kind of a winning season by hiring marginal coaches, horrible Athletic Directors, and paying both of them waaaay too much.

It's Big East football time in Tennessee!!!

Written on Vonn Bell enjoys his visit to UT:

in response to BIVOLAR_BEARE:

UT or Bama it's a coin flip..Now it depends on how fast he wants to play..GBO!!

Yeah...the best kids just LOVE to play as soon as possible. That's why Nick Saban can't ever build depth, because what high school kids really want to do is play early.

This line of reasoning is played out. The great players choose great programs no matter how long it takes to get on the field. They know it gives them the best shot at the NFL. Vonn Bell will choose Bama or Ohio State because those two programs are light years ahead of the Vols. He isn't going to choose Jones and his Cincinnati crew. If he wanted to play for a Big East school, he has plenty of offers.

Written on Derek Dooley to offer recruiting commentary on ESPNU's National Signing Day coverage :

in response to 45ReVOLver:

(This comment was removed by the site staff.)

There are a LOT of fools on these message boards that KNEW he was always about to turn the corner. Because he was a hard worker and he worked for a successful head coach and he made his own way, etc. etc. Sound familiar?

UT fans will believe whatever it takes to justify the mediocre coaches that UT's administration hires. The Kiffin experiment didn't work. The Dooley experiment didn't work. Now we're on the Butch Jones/Big East experiment.

We'll see how this goes.

Written on Mike Strange: Something is missing ... Vols looking for a closer :

I really, really want Martin to succeed, but he seems determined to screw it up.

God...I miss Coach Pearl.

UT should have stood up to the NCAA and stuck with Pearl.

Written on David Climer: Vols staff looks close to home for recruits:

in response to easleychuck:

Recruiting in many ways is like politics. It is local. Coach Jones seems to understand that you have to do the little things.

The last 3 coaches never had to do the grunt work to get recruits but I really think that Coach Jones understands the concept of recruiting based upon his experience of doing it as an underdog.

Fulmer - Head Coach or assistant at UT for the majority of his career. The UT name was what he used.

Kiffin - Daddy's boy who never had to do any heavy lifting, preferred to run his mouth about other programs.

Dooley - Daddy's boy who rode on coat tails of his father's name as a coach or on the Saban charm. And to me,his being a lawyer did not help when it came to recruiting. He seemed to think that he was the smartest guy in the room. That can lead to a vibe of arrogance that parents and recruits pick up on.

Jones - worked his way through the coaching ranks at smaller schools for the most part. Even as a head coach had to go head to head against more prestigous programs. He has the metal to get the job done.

"Recruiting in many ways is like politics. It is local."

Maybe if you're Florida or Texas, but not UT. Tennessee's talent base is sparse. What you're doing is you are "rationalizing." Jones isn't successful at recruiting good players nationally so you're rationalizing his lack of success by advocating that his local recruiting is more important. It isn't.

Jones has resuscitated in-state recruiting, but hasn't landed players like Von Bell, so except for one four star kid, he hasn't done much to make us competitive in the SEC (and isn't that what he's supposed to do rather than make UT fans feel good about their state?). Don't think stars matter? Fine. Not one commitment to UT has an offer from Bama. That's extremely telling. We aren't winning the battles for the players we will need to hang with the top of the SEC.

But that's fine because your best blue collar buddy Butch Jones worked his way up to coaching Cincinnati. I'm sure that in the end that will work out...because the SEC is a Disney movie. We're one Butch Jones montage away from making it to the SEC championship.

I don't care how hard he's working. He's recruiting marginal players who other (real) SEC programs aren't looking at. Sorry, that's the truth. In three years, this group won't be the top of the SEC and Jones will be slogging through his third season of mediocrity with guys like you rehashing old Dooley arguments like "he needs four years" or "he needs to get the staff he wants," etc. etc.

Jones is an upgrade over Dooley, but then again I have a friend coaching his son's pee wee football league and he would have been an upgrade over Dooley. Jones will get us to 8 wins in a season and that's where we will remain for YEARS. At least Dooley had the decency to expose himself in his third season. Jones will keep fans hanging on to the ever present, ever unattainable "next season."

Of course, I'm only saying this because I'm a troll. There's absolutely no way that you could predict all of that from looking at Jones coaching history, his choice in assistant coaches, his current recruiting capabilities, etc. Just like there was no way to look at Dooley's overall losing record and predict that he would lose.

Anyway...I'll be right about this coach just like I was right about Fulmer and Dooley. Admittedly, I supported Kiffin and overlooked his screw ups, but that won't happen again. Jones will be a mediocre SEC coach unless he starts recruiting the talent he needs to win and hires actual SEC coordinators and coaches rather than Auburn and Georgia's cast-offs and his current Big East crew (who will be exposed in the next two seasons).

Think I'm a troll? Please copy this message and throw it in my face in three years.

Written on Vanderbilt, James Franklin ready sales pitch to recruits:

in response to GlennFordsFoible:

(This comment was removed by the site staff.)

Agree, but it is what it is. There will be some who will always excuse or rationalize mediocrity at UT. I hope we're both wrong about Butch Jones, but man, his recruiting right now is 100% Big East caliber. But I guess that's ok because we basically have a Big East coaching staff now. It's gonna be a long three years. Hopefully UT will fire Hart in the interim and get a real AD, but...I doubt it.

Written on John Adams: Vols chasing Vanderbilt in recruiting :

in response to tnoutlaw2001#228008:

Proof?

Name a upset?, has he beaten a ranked opponent? has he really done anything to prove he is quote,

"shown he is one of the best coaches in coaching"

1 winning season, 1 bowl win, and he avoided playing Alabama, Miss. State, LSU, and Texas AM.

He lost to SC, GEORGIA, FLORIDA.

The bowl win was not as it seems 5 turnover by NC state and they still were outplayed in every phase.
NC STATE VANDY
FIRST DOWNS 24 17
3rd down eff. 13-19 3-14

4th down eff. 0-1 3-4

Total Yards 424 225

Time will tell, but right now I see a bunch of smoke, not much else, maybe some pure luck from the schedule too.

You know...it's funny because I distinctly remember you defending Dooley who put up worse numbers than Franklin in his second year.

So, when Dooley loses he's still a great coach and we just need to give him time.

When Franklin wins he's still not a good coach despite taking one of the wost teams in America and getting them to 9 wins in a season in two years.

Ok...that makes sense.

I'm a UT grad and I appreciate great coaching (rather than the mediocre drivel that most Vol fans seem content to swallow). What Franklin has done at Vandy is AMAZING. If you don't at least acknowledge that, you're willfully ignorant. Also, I was at the Music City Bowl and you're statement that Vandy got outplayed by NC State "in every phase" is just WRONG.

Written on John Adams: Vols chasing Vanderbilt in recruiting :

in response to scvols:

James Franklin has shown he is one of the best coaches in coaching and recruiting in the country. I do not know why he was not on the top of our list. I do see BJ doing well, but not as well as JF would had done.

Because, what if he said no? What if he exposed the real problem with UT football which is the administration? What if he exposed that the real reason we can't hire a great coach is that, no matter the money, no great coach is willing to work under Cheek's ridiculous academic standards and Hart's inept leadership?

Written on Cody Clay chooses Division II school over Tennessee:

in response to HopeisNotaCourseofAction:

No deewayne, you are a DA and you don't see now. Only thing worse than a DA is a blind DA.

Well...keep HOPING that this Big East coaching staff recruiting Big East caliber players will win SEC championships.

Written on Cody Clay chooses Division II school over Tennessee:

in response to easleychuck:

Probably the least intelligent of all your dribbling posts and that is saying something.

Really? That's all you've got? Pathetic.

If you think that this recruiting class Jones is putting together will be able to hang with the top of the SEC east you're deluding yourself. But then, you did that for three years under Dooley so you should be used to it by now.

Some of your greatest hits:

"Coach Sal, based on his extensive time coaching at Carolina is a solid upgrade to the position.
...
Looking forward to a much improved defense with more solid depth and better coaching."

"When Coach Dooley has the program back competitive, the bridges will, once again, be troll-free."

"Mike Hamilton is a great human being. The AD is a figure-head in some instances."

According to your posts nothing was ever Dooley or Hamilton's fault...ever.

Do you still have your Dooley blow-up doll? Do you still soothe yourself to sleep at night whispering "You'll win next year. Next year you'll win. You'll show'em all that you're really a champion"? I bet you keep it right under your life size portrait of Bill Battle.

You think what I wrote is dribble? In between the incessant "You're a troll" posting, almost every prediction or evaluation of a UT coach has been WRONG. Go back and read some of your own posts. You were WRONG. Sunseri didn't improve the defense. Losing most of the staff was not a good thing. Dooley was not recruiting the right players or coaching them up.

Dude, you are just wrong. It's one thing to be a fan, but you aren't a fan. Dave Hart could poop in a bowl and as along as he called it "Go Vols Cereal" you would devour it no questions asked and then defend Hart's decision to feed it to you.

Written on Vols lose to Ole Miss, 92-74 in SEC opener:

I really, really want Coach Martin to succeed, but wanting and getting are two different things.

I'm going to reserve judgment until the end of this season, but this may have been a bad hire.

Written on Bama bashes Notre Dame 42-14 in BCS title game:

in response to emailnodata:

Got a little sick of the post-game talking about Saban having his players "programmed". He recruits quality kids, teaches them football, and poise.

Sure as hell wish we'd been able to hire him.

Tennessee? Hire Saban? Hahahahahaha...At no time in school history have we EVER had an administration that would do what it takes to hire a coach like Saban.

Remember how Saban said "no" to Bama when they first approached him? UT would have walked away with its tail between its legs and then tried to hire Urban Meyer's third most competent graduate assistant in response.

Alabama went after Saban because they value winning more than the "winning the right way" nonsense. UT doesn't have that mentality. With Jimmy Cheek and Dave "Turned Down Tennessee" Hart at the helm, I don't think we'll ever have it.

We're in for a rough next four years. The Great Big East Experiment starts now.

Written on Cody Clay chooses Division II school over Tennessee:

in response to pcorange:

Who cares? I didn't think we needed to go after a kid who was choosing between UT, UConn, and Azusa wherever the hell it is anyway. We ought to be going toe to toe with Bama, SC, and the like, not looking down to kids like this one. Just my opinion.

But the UConn and Azusa kids are the ONLY kids actually considering UT. Butch Jones is doing the best he can to pull in the "table scraps" of the football recruiting world. But don't worry, if the Derek Dooley saga has taught us anything, it's that there is absolutely, positively no way that you can evaluate a coach in his first year coaching at any given job. Unless, of course, you only evaluate the positive things.

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