Tuesday, December 2
Old out, new in…
Those of you who live in the south understand the degree of fanaticism that accompanies college football. If you don’t live south of the ‘Sweet Tea Mason Dixon Line’ in towns like Knoxville, Athens, Gainesville, and Auburn it’s difficult to comprehend, but trust me, it’s intense.It’s this zealous obsession with these teams of student athletes that contribute to expectations for each year’s team, and, whether fair or not, for the head coaches of those teams.
The end result, so many times, (and seemingly much more frequent these days) is when a coach doesn’t meet those expectations, and regardless of their past successes and their integrity and character they are asked to move on, (or forced by rich donors to the athletic department depending on how you want to phrase it). It is a fact of college athletics, and whether you like it or not, it just is, and will probably only increase in programs everywhere.
Saturday was Phillip Fulmer’s last game coaching the University of Tennessee Volunteers. He ends a 35-year playing and coaching career at Tennessee, 17 of them as head coach where he led the Vols to a 152-52 record, and a national championship in 1998.It’s been good the last week or so to read about his career here in Knoxville, hear interviews with family, friends and former players, and to not have to listen to the screeching irritation of some of the most moronic, cretinous, muttonheaded people on sports radio calling for Fulmer’s head on a platter like they have for 5-10 years.
Fulmer was a class act. A good coach. Seemed to care for his players at a deeper level than almost all coaches. I do feel bad for him, probably more than you’d expect, but it is part of college football, like it or not.
Lane Kiffin is the new coach. I like the choice…a lot. He’s young, has a USC background, and has already irritated Steve Spurrier.
Unfortunately, the screeching irritating voices have already started in on poor ‘ol Lane. I don’t think he has any idea what he’s gotten himself into…
Mark Nelson at 5:20 PM 5comments
5 Comments
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at 12:03 AM
ragamuffinminister said... so you say you heard moronic people talking on sports radio? Weird. How bizarre. I can't believe it.
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at 11:49 AM
said... I agree - Kiffin may not know what he has gotten himself into.
Fulmer - I do feel for him and his family to a point, until I consider the fact that he is going to get $6 million not to coach. Like it or not, the program was declining and new leadership was needed.
I'd go to the house for far less than $6 million and then I'd do something worthwhile for a change.
I feel more compassion and sorrow for Dave Clawson - 1 year and gone - the guy just bought a house. Bet he never dreamed that he would get binged in the head by Rocky Top...
Just because moronic people "talk" on sports talk radio doesn't mean that they say is intelligible............it would help if they moved their wad of tobacco out of the way and put their teeth in before speaking......
Sorry - my bad.-
at 9:58 AM
ragamuffinminister said...
the real question, for an Indiana man, is what do you think of Weis and that situation? talk radio up here is littered with a lot of 'get rid of weis' jibber.
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at 11:44 AM
Mark Nelson said...
Ty Willingham is looking for a job...Notre Dame could go that way...
I know he failed at UW, but I thought ND wasn't fair to him when they fired him...-
at 2:17 PM
The Anonymous Human said...
Well, I'm no college football expert, but here's my opinion anyway.
-I don't like the Kiffin as a choice. He's never had to recruit as a head coach (especially at a place needing to be rebuilt like Tennessee). You telling me he can compete with Spurrier, Meyer, Richt, Saban, and Miles? I don't think he can. I hope so, but I don't think he can.
-I agree that Willingham got a raw deal. Except that his recruiting classes were awful. ND was hoping a california guy who just happened to be black could bring in some big talent. Didn't happen. I say give Weiss two more years. Besides, what's the most it could hurt? We are awful anyways and changing head coaches will only continue that.