I think this is an overreaction. The boosters or whatever external contingent is talking with Gruden or other coaches give Hart plausible deniability. With Dooley still employed I think that matters.

I disagree.  That was my first reaction, but the usual practice is for the AD to use intermediaries, and the intermediaries deal with the same for the prospective coach.  That way they can both say that "they" have never spoken/been in contact.  But that is not what is said to be happening:

"The major boosters are handling this."
"Hart has very little input in it."
"They've told him to sit tight and when it's time to work the deal, they’ll bring him in."

Sorry, but that is not the usual practice as I have always understood it to exist.  Hamilton used intermediaries and kept the process secret, but he never relinquished control.  That is the AD's job!  I still think this is total garbage, except that perhaps Hart is using intermediaries.  But, if he has relinquished control "until it's time to make a deal," then I find that unacceptable.  They could revive Neyland from the grave and win 100% of their games and I would never go to another game.  I don't want boosters running the AD.  And, no, I don't think they ever have in the past.  Woodruff, Dickey and even Hamilton had too much backbone for that.

[If]

Im trying not to pile on Dooley today but I still can't get over the "I don't go over the defensive game plan" post game quote.  SMH
do you think the boosters have taken this out of Hart's hands because of the Sal hire or just because they are the ones paying?

If the boosters can take this out of Hart's hands, then UT should get rid of Hart and just admit a total lack of control exists in all facets of the athletics department.  That is simply unacceptable.    Why didn't they do that with Hamilton?  He got them to donate vast sums; that was his expertise.  An AD has to have control, for good or bad.  I tend to think this is simply hyperbole and wishful thinking by those who can't get real information, but....   

Like usual, I am sorry I clicked a link.     If this is true, then the UTAD is much worse off than I thought and Hart is not the person for the job:

"Here's how this thing is working.  The major boosters are handling this. Hart has very little input in it. They've told him to sit tight and when it's time to work the deal, they’ll bring him in.  But they are not leaving the heavy lifting to him.  That's why Jimmy Hyams can say over the weekend several times that Hart hasn't talked with anybody from Gruden's camp.  Because he hasn't and he won't.  That is until it's time to make a deal.  I understand Dave Hart is upset about me reporting this stuff but I have to do my job."

If I ever find out it's true that the inmates are running the asylum, then they can do without my piddling donation and I will never attend another game.

FeelsLike98 (@FeelsLike98) tweeted at 8:19 AM on Mon, Oct 29, 2012:
Well, if they honestly do not follow through today, we simply will never commit the $ it takes to win until Mr. Cheek is gone.


FeelsLike98 (@FeelsLike98) tweeted at 8:38 AM on Mon, Oct 29, 2012:
Yep. Looks like they're holding off. If what I'm told is actually the reason, I've lost faith that we are committed to winning. Cheek smh

LOL.     Sorry for laughing, but those tweets make me think of my humorous posts from yesterday, which seem to be just about as accurate.   

The little shore town where my family has had a house since 1958 is already under water, and the storm hasn't really hit yet.    Here are some picture from the Stone Harbor, NJ Facebook page.  The first three are within 2-3 blocks of our house, and we walk past those places all the time (especially the second and third ones).  When I jog, I go right past the corner in the first picture.  TRObh and I walk on the beach to the jetty in the last picture all the time in the mornings when we are there.  Scary stuff.  My cousin and I may head down there next weekend to see if help is needed with clean-up, assuming they are letting people on the island.  Keeping my fingers crossed.  

The 2010 coaching search was wild . . . first Muschamp was on the verge of coming, then Troy Calhoun was a done deal until he wasn't, then David Cutcliffe was a done deal until he wasn't. Throw in a few wild rumors about Lovie Smith being on the Haslams' private jet to Knoxville . . .

One thing I wonder, though, is just how many coaches DID turn us down? Hamilton was a master of deception. Honestly, when I read about the lengths Mitt Romney's campaign went to in order to secretively get Paul Ryan out of Wisconsin, I laughed and said that Hamilton must have spearheaded the effort. Hamilton was great at creating smoke screens and throwing the press off on the wrong angle. And it wasn't just the UT beat guys who were fooled by him. I spoke to a reporter in Colorado Springs at the time who told me that Calhoun was headed to a team meeting to inform his players that he was headed to Knoxville. So while I will always believe that Muschamp was truly Hamilton's No. 1 target, can any of us say with any certainty that Tennessee made anything more than a soft pitch at Muschamp? Or that they pursued Calhoun at all? Or any of the others?

The opposite questions could be asked too.  Can any of us say with any certainty that Tennessee did not make feverish pitches at the likes of Gruden and Cowher and Smith, etc.?  Or that they didn't pursue even more big names but got shot down early and often?  The timing was horrible for going after existing college coaches, so existing and former NFL coaches would have made more likely targets (or so it seems to me).  In this case it's not 20/20 hindsight; it's total lack of hindsight.   

That's true.  It was a mess.  I wouldn't even want to go back and look at the posts.    

The worst part, to me, was the fact that so many people wanted Dooley to succeed, not just for the program but because he seemed like a great guy.  It's a shame really that he couldn't put a great staff together quickly and win just a few of those close games.  Perhaps he could have grown into the job.  It doesn't seem likely given his results so far, but it would have been nice (or at least a lot nicer than what has happened). 

My timeline was screwed up. For whatever reason I was thinking Dickey was already AD when Majors was hired. I was only off by 8 years or so . . . 

Well, I was alive for pre-Woodruff as AD, but since I lived in Philly then, I'm not counting it because it would REALLY make me feel old.   

All I can do is shake my head at the fact that somehow Dooley became the head coach for Tennessee.  It's an embarrassment, to me.  THIS guy is what Hamilton thought of this program.  Well, you get what you pay for.

Well, I went back through the posts from January 2010 earlier today.  Kiffin left less than a month before the signing date and after most available coaches had already been hired.  It was hardly a "normal" head coaching search situation.  Dooley was not even on my radar screen, but most of the big names had already said they were staying put (or we got the dreaded, "I have not been in official contact" about the job -- meaning we talked but I turned them down for whatever reason).  Now, if the whatever reason was not enough money, then why?  Hamilton?  Boosters not stepping up?  Who the heck knows.  I also do not think you always get what you pay for in head coaching.  There are lots of unemployed head coaches out there who were paid huge sums for zero results, and a ton of assistants (usually coordinators) who are now extremely successful head coaches.  Dooley had no pedigree coming in.  At the very least, the next guy better.  Assuming, of course, that Dooley is gone.

Also, I'm not sure why so many UT fans are convinced that this football program isn't a destination job.

History is meaningful.  I think UT can be a destination job, but not for every successful coach out there.  What is it about Tennessee that would draw a successful coach from another large university?  I still say there would have to be something about Knoxville and UT that would be attractive to a prospective coach on both a professional and personal level.

I've had more than a few UT fans give me a laundry list of reasons why Tennessee should keep Dooley, and it always comes back to their belief that UT cannot attract a better coach.

I think there are legitimate reasons to keep Dooley, but none of them have anything to do with UT not being able to attract a better coah.  Dooley had a medicore record at La. Tech, and has been poor at Tennessee.  He certainly has not set the bar very high.

I LOL'd at a beat writer from the Maryville newspaper who belittled UT fans for daring to believe that Tennessee can lure a top-notch coach to Knoxville.

Well, how long has it been since they did that?  Majors in 1977?

This mindset has only developed over the last four years, and directly from the need of our fans to justify Hamilton's weak hires.

Well, of course it has.  The last hire was in 1992 and the one before that was 1977.  That's a Vols football lieftime to many fans, especially those likely to post on the internet.  I don't think it's to justify Hamilton's hires.  I think it's a reflection of what they have seen in the coaching searches in late 2008 and early 2010.  It sure seems like a lot of unofficial declinations of a lot of unofficial offers.  Very frustrating.

Suddenly some fans act as though UT's success began and ended with the '90s.  Fulmer's success was great -- maybe unprecedented, all things considered.  But Tennessee has been an elite program -- and by elite I mean one of the top five programs in America -- since Neyland arrived on the scene in the '20s.  Has anything happened to change that?

Yep.  We live in a "what have you done for me lately" college football world, and that, IMO, includes programs.

This is still one of the top 10 or 15 jobs in America.

I would like to agree, but I just don't see it and would not have agreed even before Fulmer was fired.  That's why, even though I thought it was time for him to go, I warned at the time for fans to be careful what they asked for because I did not think that many successful coaches would be apt to leave their existing jobs for UT.  What would be the upside for them?  If it's just more money,....again, be careful what you ask for.

It's true that Tennessee hasn't hired many "high profile" coaches over the years . . . but how much of that is due to the fact that Tennessee has traditionally preferred to hire from within the Vol family?  Before Dooley and Kiffin, how many coaches has Tennessee had who weren't part of the family?  Not many.  Neyland certainly had a propensity for hiring from within the program and even though he didn't have to hire many coaches, so did Dickey.

Well, Dickey hired only Fulmer, so....    Bob Woodruff hired Dickey (not family), Battle (sort of family; assistant coach for three years, but never played at UT), and Majors (family).  The Majors and Fulmer eras span a huge chunk of time (over 30 years), which clearly has an effect on people's perception.  Anything before Woodruff is ancient coaching history, which makes me VERY old.  

The Atlantic City boardwalk is already taking a pounding and portions collapsing before the storm even gets close (source: The Weather Channel).   

[COLUMBIA, S.C.]

The latest update at of 7:00 p.m. ET:

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore hyperextended his right knee against Tennessee, causing injury to several ligaments, the school said in a release Sunday.

Coach Steve Spurrier said the injury is something Lattimore can come back from to play football again.

There were no fractures or additional injuries, according to team physician Jeffrey Guy.

[COLUMBIA, S.C.]

and certainly extensive to severe ligament damage.  I hope he can come back from it, but it will take a miracle.

The latest update at of 7:00 p.m. ET:

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore hyperextended his right knee against Tennessee, causing injury to several ligaments, the school said in a release Sunday.

Coach Steve Spurrier said the injury is something Lattimore can come back from to play football again.

There were no fractures or additional injuries, according to team physician Jeffrey Guy.

Come on TRO. When have we ever offered the kind of money that would attract a home run hire?  When have we ever pursued a coach with we won't take no for an answer  ala Mal Moore?  Hamilton got lucky with Pearl and thought he could strike gold again by going in cheap with Kiffin and Dooley. The result is the disaster we find ourselves in today. Meanwhile the Alabamas, Oklahomas and Ohio States of the world pay big bucks and get what they pay for.

How am supposed to know (or you) what was discussed and offered to the big names in the past?  If we assume that none of the big names mentioned pre-Kiffin and pre-Dooley were true, and no contacts were made, then I guess we can assume that kind of effort was not made and big money was not offered.  I tend to think that the effort was made and big money was offered and was turned down when Fulmer was fired and Hamilton was caught off guard when they declined.  Kiffin was a choice of last resort, or at least he seemed to be.  You mention the highly payed coaches who worked out.  How many are paid big bucks and fail (especially NFL to college and vice versa)?  If that happens at UT, the fans will go even more crazy than they are now.  In the end, I say go for it and get the best coach, not biggest name coach, you can get and let the chips fall where they may.  It could get worse, but probably not much. 

It doesn't really matter anyway, because Dooley is a goner.

He probably is, and that proves that this is a very different time than when Johnny came marching home.  I think Dooley took over a program in much more disarray than Majors did, and with equally bad talent.  I also think the SEC is tougher from top to bottom now than it was then, and lower tier programs are certainly much better.  Johnny went 4-7, 5-5-1, 7-5, and 5-6 before finally winning 8 (8-4) in 1981 (got to 8 with a bowl win).  He then promptly went 6-5-1 in 1982 (although the win against bama saved him from too much criticism).  There is no way he could have survived with the demands put on head coaches today, but people put up with his mediocrity because he was a Tennessee favorite son.  I do not think Dooley has what it takes to be an SEC head coach, because it appears that the talent is there to beat some of the better SEC teams (UGA and USC).  I'm sorry, but if you score 44 and 35 respectively against those two teams, you should win.  This is the worst Vols defense I can rememeber, and the ultimate blame goes to Dooley. 

Sheesh, he tore every ligament around the knee, plus broke his leg, and knee cap? Poor guy, I don't think I've ever heard of such a severe knee injury. I'm glad I couldn't see how bad it was. Remember when Leanard Little's knee was caught on tape bending backwards from a hit? Man, couldn't hardly watch it. Sure hope Lattimore completely recovers from this, but I would think the odds are against it. So sorry for him!

That is not the official report.  The only official word from USC seems to be a dislocated knee.  I guess that could be accompanied by ligament and oother damage, but the first reports seem to be wrong.

That's the part I was responding to.  There have been numerous suggestions that Dooley could be let go as early as tomorrow.  I am pretty sure there are a few below...

My bad with my previous post.  I thought you were responding to me.   

Quite a few people on Volnation and other sites, and if I wasn't lazy, I could maybe find a couple here.

Since you asked.   

Fair enough, I guess.  I meant here, since I do not visit any other Vols sites besides utsports.com.  I don't think people here believe that "we can't attract successful coaches here," as was stated in the post I quoted.  Many believe it is more complex than simply throwing money at a big name guy, or the guy wanted by fans, and I agree with that.

I agree BDV.  I get tired of this attitude that we can't attract successful coaches here. No point in even trying. One thing is for sure, they won't come if we don't offer.

Who has that attitude?  I certainly haven't seen it expressed.  I hope the UTAD tries for and lands the most successful coach available, assuming Dooley is let go.  Whether that is Gruden, as to his overall success in the NFL and whether he would ultimately be worth the expected cost, is certainly debatable.  And, given that his and other big names have been mentioned as being contacted in the past, who's to say that Hamilton didn't try and fail to land him/them when Fulmer was canned and Kiffin was hired, and when Kiffin left and Dooley was hired?  It sure seemed like there were a lot of unofficial turn downs behind the scenes in both cases.  I think that is one reason Hamilton settled for Kiffin and got scared and made Dooley his panic hire.  Perhaps it was a matter of poor timing when Kiffin bolted, and Hart will be in a better position to negotiate and make a better hire. 

....dislocated knee and it could be a year-long recovery/rehab.  Spurrier: "We're optimistic his football days are still ahead of him."

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/8564561/marcus-lattimore-dislocated-knee-saturday-south-carolina-gamecocks-coach-steve-spurrier-says

I guess it depends on who you think is credible.  I know Ainge and Basilio have gone on record to say the he's interested.  Hubbs says we're going to make him say no.  Lowe says we're talking... Which leads me to believe there is mutual intetest there.  Actually, Lowe was one of the first big names to go on record with Gruden.

Cool.  I don't read anything by any of those guys.    I have no doubt that Hart may be making a big push to get him.  If it's true that contact has been made and he is interested, then he'll probably be the next head coach.  If it's true that contact has been made and he is simply listening, then it's still a longshot at best IMO.  I just get the feeling that he would like the glitz and glamor of ESPN or the NFL more than coming back to Knoxville.

Andy Reid could Coach the Browns in 2013. I think Michael D*ck will be on another team in 2013(I hate Vick from the time He was in Atlanta)

With the right QB and a good defense, he is good.  Vick ain't it, and neither is the current defense.

The Dirty Birds are just that good! On the way to 7-0

The Eagles fired their DC for a reason -- their defense suxes.      They are the NFL version of the Vols.

Ugh!

I would almost bet the farm that UT loses at least one more game. We are virtually level with Mizzou, UK, and VU. And Troy is a matchup nightmare.

Yep.  I'll stick with my 6-6 prediction.