East Tennessee Media Archives

January 24, 2009

You know, I have sat and read on this website about coaching changes whether good or bad. I have read critiques of news media and different opinions on the stories of the year. All make for interesting reads and everyone is always entitled to their own thoughts, but I feel I must finally speak up about one.

And so, from the makers of Sesame Street, comes a lesson in hypocrisy. 

There is no doubt that the firing of Phillip Fulmer was a controversial one. Personally, I liken it to the Mike Shanahan firing in Denver. It was time for there to be a change at UT. I do agree the timing of when they fired Coach Fulmer could have been a little more thought out.

But that was then, and this is now. The University of Tennessee has a new, all-star coaching staff that already has most fans thinking nine, 10 wins next season.

Pay attention kids, because here is where the lesson of the day comes from.

Before a down of football has been played, critics who opposed the firing are already complaining about the hiring. Jim Chaney has been panned more than once as a bad choice as offensive coordinator for Tennessee.

I argue that he is a fine choice because of his track record with college teams. People have forgotten that Chaney was the mastermind behind Drew Brees and that high-flying Purdue offense of the late 1990's – early 2000's. Just because he was a tight ends coach for the St. Louis Rams does not mean he is not qualified for the job.

Also, the same fans, who cried for a month after the firing about it being the wrong move, have seemingly been the first ones to jump on the "Fire Bruce Pearl" bandwagon. Granted, Tennessee's defense was awful against Kentucky, but that is not a reason to be so negative towards the coach or his team.

Everyone knew at the start of the season that the shooting guards were gone, and the Vols would be left with a group of unproven freshmen. Those same freshmen happen to also be tall. So, instead of Tennessee trotting out guys like Chris Lofton or JuJuan Smith, we get Scotty Hopson, Tyler Smith, and Wayne Chism.  

Well, these big men decided in their own minds that they could still play the run-and-gun that Tennessee fans have enjoyed for the last three years, despite the warnings of the coaching staff.

Pearl eventually had to let his players see what happens when big men try to play a fast, full-court style. He, like all the steaming fans, had to watch Tennessee take undisciplined shots and get caught out of position time after time. Now, things are changing.

And Pearl is finally able to teach.

"It's something I wouldn't have done a month ago because we would have had a revolt on our hands," Pearl said. "Our players would feel like they're handcuffed. Now they think, 'I've got to turn down a shot to get a better shot because this is how we can win.' "

I enjoyed Tennessee's romp over Vanderbilt Tuesday night for several reasons. One, it's always enjoyable to see the Big Orange down the Golden Egg-heads from Nashville. Two, it keeps Tennessee in line with Kentucky and Florida for the East Division race. And three, it made all of the nay-sayers after the Kentucky game look like fools.

Where's the defense you ask? I think they answered questions on Tuesday night. Granted, Vandy does not have a Jodie Meeks. But they do have several dominant players inside, including pre-season All-SEC player A.J. Ogilvy?

Just ask John Calipari and Memphis about Tennessee's defense. They were lucky that Lofton and Smith had run out of eligibility, or the Tigers would have been run out of Knoxville.

Coach Pearl continues to adjust to his current players, while they continue to learn. The conference season has yet to play out, and Tennessee, despite its faults, is still right in the middle of the race.

Those same nay-sayers use Pearl's 3-4 record against Kentucky as an example that he cannot get he job done. Well, let me remind you that Pearl already has more victories against the Wildcats than Kevin O'Neill, Jerry Green and Buzz Peterson had in that same amount of time.

He also has victories over Memphis, Georgetown, Marquette, Xavier, Ohio State, Texas, a sweep of the 2-time national champion Florida team, wins at Alabama, LSU and Arkansas, an out-right SEC championship and two Sweet 16 appearances.

Oh, and you don't think the SEC championship and the No. 1 ranking mean something? Ask all those big-time recruits that Pearl is bringing in in the 2010 class about whether or not that means anything. Ask the people at Thompson-Boling Arena who had to sit through the Wade Houston era if that does not amount to a hill of beans.

In all, the guy has done nothing but revive a once left-for-dead basketball program at a premiere school.

And that concludes today's lesson on the ignorance of hypocrisy and why we should all avoid it. And if ideas were like loaves of bread, then I would suggest next time you get one, instead of delivering it…throw it out.

December 2, 2008

This past weekend I cried for the first time since my grandfather passed away in February of 2005. I shed tears as I watch Phillip Fulmer being hoisted and carried off the field by his players after a 28-10 victory over the Kentucky Wildcats.

The victory was business as usual for the University of Tennessee. The Volunteers have won 24 in a row over the border rival with Coach Fulmer boasting a 15-0 record.

But Saturday night had more meaning than just another dominating triumph. It marked the final time that Coach Fulmer would stalk the sidelines for the Vols. He was relieved of his post by the university on Nov. 3, 2008.

As I watched, I remembered all of the great things he had done for us. My mind raced back in time to the point where I first met him.

It was my freshman year of high school. The Vols had just won the 1998 national championship. Coach Fulmer was at the JC Penney's in Maryville, Tenn. signing autographs.

I was blossoming as a die-hard Tennessee Vol, so my parents took me to meet him. I remember him asking me if I played football. Indeed, I did. I was a defensive tackle and a guard on offense. Coach told me if I kept working hard, then someday I could play for him.

I was recruited by Phillip Fulmer, a Tennessee legend, at the tender age of 13.

Now, physically I was cut out to play football, but I just was not sown up right. My football career ended quietly and unceremoniously my freshman year.

Despite the end of my playing days, I continued to be a passionate Volunteer. And even though I never played for Coach Fulmer, I was still there to share many victories with my other Big Orange brethren.

Like my first UT football game in 1999, a 19-16 triumph over Southern Miss. I was there for three thrilling victories over Lou Holtz and his South Carolina Gamecocks. I enjoyed good laughs with my father watching Coach Fulmer and the Vols embarrass Hal Mumme and Kentucky.

In 2004, I officially became a Tennessee Volunteer when I rolled into the College of Communication and Information. I used my student card to see the Vols pound away at one opponent after another.

That same year, Coach Fulmer and his staff brought in two outstanding freshman quarterbacks. One, Erik Ainge, has gone on to play in the NFL for the New York Jets.

Ainge combined with Brent Schaeffer to give me memories that will last a lifetime. I was seated in the second row, on the 50-yard line, when James Wilhoit booted a long field goal to knock off Florida 30-28.

My favorite victory will always be the 17-13 thriller against hated-rival Alabama.

The final game in which I had the opportunity to watch Coach Fulmer use his magic was the 2007 SEC Championship against LSU. Though the Vols came up short, the game had every fan in attendance on the edge of their seats.

Now a new era of Tennessee football begins. On Monday, athletics director Mike Hamilton introduced Lane Kiffin as the 21^st head coach in Tennessee football history.

I sat and listened intently as Kiffin went over his plan to lead the Vols into the future. After only a few minutes, I realized that it was almost like travelling back through time to listen to a young Phillip Fulmer taking the reins.

Lane Kiffin believes in everything Coach Fulmer does: leadership, discipline, work ethic, gamesmanship, the value of team, pride in those orange jerseys and the Big Orange. He wants to continue the tradition of excellence that began with Johnny Majors, and was perfected by Phillip Fulmer.

November 13, 2008

AA

District 1

Elizabethton

Happy Valley

Johnson County

Sullivan East

Sullivan North

Unicoi County

District 2

Chuckey-Doak

Claiborne

Cumberland Gap

Grainger

Greeneville

South Greene

West Greene

The Greene Devils' head basketball coach, Bill Duncan, was very outspoken about his school's decision to stay in AA beginning next season. Now, it looks like he has a legitimate case.

The Devils' competition will be severely depleted when the new classification goes into effect. Greeneville High lost the appeal to play in District 1, so they are stuck with powder-puff teams like Chuckey-Doak and West Greene.

More important for the Devils than competition, there will also be a significant drop in attendance. For one, Greeneville's band will fill up the visitor section at a place like Chuckey-Doak, leaving their fans out in the cold. Likewise, there won't be many sitting in the stands across the field when teams travel to Burley Stadium.

Overall, this region should be an interesting one. That is, to see who finishes after Greeneville. The Devils will be left to figure out a way to slow down the likes of  Red Bank and Knox Fulton come playoff time.

District 1 will be where the fun is. Elizabethton will be the big fish in the small pond, but the Longhorns of Johnson County have seen a turn in fortune the last few years.

The Sullivan teams will be tough as always.

AAA

District 1

Daniel Boone

David Crockett

Dobyns-Bennett

Science Hill

Sullivan Central

Sullivan South

Tennessee High

Volunteer

District 2

Cherokee

Cocke County

Jefferson County

Morristown East

Morristown West

Sevier County

Seymour

South Doyle

One quick glance at District 1 made me immediately think of the movie Jaws. The role of the sharks is played by big boys: Dobyns-Bennett, Science Hill and Sullivan South. The victims? Name a team that used to comprise the old Five Rivers (2005-2008).

I can't imagine what coaches Jeremy Jenkins and Scott Rider are thinking at their respective schools. Sure they don't have to beat the Indians or Toppers to make the playoffs, but there are only three playoff spots for the 5A teams.

That means the Boone/Volunteer game will likely determine the final spot behind the Vikings and South Rebels.

District 2 has a lot of interesting twists. East High fans should consider themselves the luckiest people on the planet. Count your stars, Coach Hatcher that your team didn't have to stay in 6A come playoff time.

The road to a state championship has seemingly been cleared for the Morristown schools. All they have to do is beat some teams out of Knoxville and whatever Middle/West Tennessee has to offer.

While the Smoky Bears of Sevier and the Patriots of Jefferson determine the lone 6A spot, the Canes and Trojans will be fighting to stay on top of the mountain.

Makes you wonder now if Greeneville will be knocking on doors and begging for some of those "big boys" to come play at Burley. Or at least, allow their fans some place to sit.

November 3, 2008

For want of a nail the shoe was lost.
For want of a shoe the horse was lost.
For want of a horse the rider was lost.
For want of a rider the battle was lost.
For want of a battle the kingdom was lost.
And all for the want of a horseshoe nail.

Remember back to 2001 when Tennessee was just 30 minutes away from going to the national championship? Remember how the Vols had that lead over an overmatched LSU team who had just lost their starting quarterback and star running back? Remember how LSU came back to down the Vols and win the SEC Championship?

Although the Vol Nation was disappointed in the loss, a blowout win over Michigan in the Capitol One Bowl made the loss in Atlanta insignificant.

Vols fans believed that the loss to LSU only delayed momentarily UT's return to the top of the conference mountain. But the loss of the nail went unnoticed.

Fast forward to 2007. Tennessee had gone nine years without a conference crown.

Since the SEC title game of 2001, Tennessee has seen a steady decline in performance on the field and off. The last years under Phillip Fulmer have been plagued by average recruiting classes and run-ins with Knoxville law enforcement.

The shoe was lost.

Then came the records - 1-10 at home against Top 10 opponents, 4-16 against the school's biggest rivals and 30-22 in the last six years.

It was not until the loss of the horse that people began to notice.

Coach Fulmer and the Vols continued to weather those storms. The greatest coach the University of Tennessee had since the man whose name adorns the stadium never wavered. Through all of it, he stood tall as the man who won a national championship, two SEC titles, and numerous division banners.

Through the howling winds of the storms, the grumbling from a frustrated fan base became more audible. That is until Fulmer and Co. clinched another division title.

The Vols again faced the Tigers for the SEC Championship, only this time the roles were reversed. It was LSU that had became the team trying to secure a berth in the title game. The Big Orange again held a lead in the 2^nd half, only to see the Tigers come back and steal another victory.

Tennessee finished with a win over Wisconsin in the Outback Bowl, but momentum was slowed by David Cutcliffe leaving to become head coach at Duke.

The rider was lost.

The 2008 season has seen the butterfly effect finally catch up to Coach Fulmer. What seemed like an insignificant, albeit disappointing, loss to LSU in 2001 has snowballed to this point.

Tennessee went into this season without a rider to win the battle.

Last Saturday in Columbia, the battle was lost and with it, the kingdom.

And, all for the want of a horseshoe nail.