Nov
2007
I would like to take this opportunity to write a letter to the haters. I’m not talking about UT haters, I’m not talking about football haters, or even haters of our site (because who could hate such an awesome site as this?). I’m talking about Fulmer haters. I can only wonder where the hate stems from?
It obviously has to be some sort of penis envy of other schools that supposedly have better coaches or better… whatever, because unless the whiny “I hate Fulmer” commenters on the Knox News website (a great place to air your grievances btw… everyone cares what you have to say there) are 30+ years old, the only two coaches they’ve ever known at UT are Phil Fulmer and Johnny Majors.
Let’s just say for the sake of argument that 40-50+ year old folks are going online and making up clever pet names for our head coach trying to hate on him, what are you expecting, a return to the glory days of… Bill Battle? Doug Dickey had a pretty good record overall, but it still wasn’t as good as Fulmer’s. The only coach in Tennessee history to hold a better overall winning percentage than Fulmer was Robert Neyland, and if you were around to see any of his teams play, I doubt you spend your free time on the local newspaper websites talking smack.
If someone hates Fulmer that much, they must not really be a fan of UT in the first place. He’s been the head of the organization for 15 years, and you know what? He’s good. I dislike fairweather fans, but what I hate, are fans who only know how to talk shit. Wanna hate that much? Be a fan of a different team because you know what? Fulmer’s about to get a raise. Do I drink the Kool Aid? Of course I do. Why? Because it’s DELISH!
I’ll have some of the ORANGE please.
Who would be a better candidate? Any of the other SEC coaches? Les Miles might bolt to Michigan, leaving LSU without a coach after a few years again, like the girl who swears that this guy is different, and that he really really loves her. Urban Meyer? I’m sorry, but if Tim Tebow were my quarterback, I’d have to become a fan of the Big East or something. I just can’t stand to look at that goofy, sort of brainwashed face. Any other coach in the SEC? I’m sorry to point out this bit of fact, but all the other coaches save Miles and Fulmer are staying at home this weekend, awaiting their fate.
I saw a couple comments about how “talent overcame coaching” or something to that effect. Um, did you guys actually watch the game? The first half big lead? Combination of talent and coaching. The second half collapse? The talent couldn’t catch quite a few passes that could have helped put the game out of reach during regulation. So, yeah, the coaches should totally be blamed for dropped passes. Shut it.
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I have been critical of Fulmer at times during this season and in previous seasons, but the team’s turnaround has shut me up for several weeks now. The man has earned his keep, for now, and people should get off his back.
There are two segments of the “fire Fulmer” crowd. The one which I have been in and out of is the “fire him because the team and program have been in a continual state of decline for the better part of 6 years” crowd. That crowd based their opinion and call for action on facts, and on rational dialogue. These people are TENNESSEE fans, and support the program above the coach if they feel the coach is not good for the program anymore. That crowd has gotten much smaller as Fulmer has buckled down and turned this team around, because the facts have changed somewhat.
The other segment is the Fulmer haters. They wanted him gone in 1998. They wanted him gone before he was hired. I don’t understand this crowd, but I suppose some of them are fueled by the “Johnny Majors backstabbing” conspiracy theory. This crowd voices its opinion loudly when things go poorly, and is quiet when things go well. We’ve heard much less from them in the last 5 weeks or so, but expect to hear them moaning if we don’t upset LSU. They’ve been doing it for 15 years now.
Like you, I’m sick of hearing it. I think criticism has been warranted at times but this team has played with guts and turned things around. They are competing for a title tomorrow– we need to be behind them, and we need to be behind Fulmer right now.
Amen. People forget how young our players are. Even Eric Berry (greatest freshman EVAR) missed two perfect opportunities to seal away the game in regulation. Oh yea, that’s Fulmer’s fault. Our biggest weakness this year has been our secondary. Several starters in these positions got academic dismissals. That’s Fulmer’s fault too because apparently he can’t get his players tutors to do their homework for them. Oh, and don’t forget he didn’t wait until Coker had a FIFTH drug screening before giving him the boot. One last thing. It’s all about perspective. What if we had played a Western Carolina for our first game of the year? If everything else played out the same, we would have a 10-2 record and be ranked in the top 8. But would it have played out the same? Who knows. All I know is I respect Fulmer and his decisions. Regardless of our record, we’re going to the SEC Championship. Thanks go out to Auburn, LSU, South Carolina, and Georgia for losing (and winning) as they did.
Big 12 Sucks.
Very well said. Nothing makes me less proud to be a Vol than some of the negative comments from wacked-out fans. The comments people make during games are crazy…if something goes bad we’re the worst team in the world; if something goes good we’re #1.
What really gets me is people who say UT’s offense is “predictable.” If I’m at a game and hear that I want to challenge them to name the next play. The vast majority of people I see complain about playcalling obviously know nothing about football; their only reactions are, if a play gained yards, it was a good play call. If a play didn’t work, it was a bad play call. And a good point about talent. People complain about receivers or tackling and want a coaching change…do they not think they’re telling the boys to catch passes and make tackles over there? People even want Chavis gone…sheesh.
Anyways, good topic. I often wonder if other schools have to deal with fans like this.
Jeff in Blount County sucks
lol @ Jeff in Blount County sucks
I’ve hated on Fulmer this year, but it was a way to vent frustration without going to jail. Here’s to going to the Sugar Bowl and raping Hawaii!
I am not a Fulmer hater. However, it is time for him to go. The reason I say that is because of our offensive system. It doesn’t work anymore because of the style of ball played now by other teams. I don’t want Fulmer to leave but I don’t think he will change. Therefore the only way for things to change is for him to leave.
I remember standing next to my high school coach, and somebody yelled from the stands “Great call, coach!” after a good play. He mumbled “They’d all be great calls if you guys would run them right.”
Well said. I get pissed at “The Great Punkin’” from time to time, but it never lasts long. He’s conservative, generally old-school coach, who can recruit like mad. I think he runs a pretty clean program, and I like the way he represents UT. On the whole, I can’t think of anyone better, and he’s had one of the best stretches over the past 15 years of anyone.
Besides, if I’m backed into a corner at some dive off Bourbon street by a bunch of street punks, I’ll take the big fellow in Orange to watch my back over that pretty boy from Georgia or Oscar Meyer down there at Florida any day of the week. It’s a matter of sheer size…
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- lawvol: http://Gate21.net – Life, the Universe, & College Football
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