I am beginning to believe that Dooley

[ReVOLver]

Will return for 2013 with a new defensive coordinator and a few defensive position coaches.

No hard evidence, just piecing together the rumors.

[VinnieVOL]

I just don't see it.  I saw speculation that Hart may resign if Cheek blocks a coaching change. 

I also now believe Gruden definitely isn't coming.

[Black Diamond Vol]

I'm going to hold my tongue here until something happens (or doesn't).  But Dooley and Joker Phillips both started their HC jobs at the same time, and Phillips just got canned.  If Kentucky (KENTUCKY!) has higher expectations for their football coach than we do...well, that says a lot.

[ReVOLver]

I think there is a lot of propaganda out there. I think the athletic side is leaking info in order to set public perception against the academic side... Things like the fact that Izuea Lanier would've been eligible at all 13 SEC schools not named Tennessee, including Vandy.

I think the BoT and the AD are trying to pull a power play to get Cheek outta there.

I don't think Gruden is coming.

I just think that in the end Dooley is going to be able to roll it all off on Sunseri and skate by.

[Volznut]

Yep. Gruden thing is dead according to several insiders. Cheek strikes again.

Oh well... frees up my fall weekends

[VinnieVOL]

Well I can say that I'm not excited about any of the other names that have been floated out there, but Dooley is an embarrassment.  I'm resigned to a "whatever" state of mind.

[BanditVol]

Will return for 2013 with a new defensive coordinator and a few defensive position coaches.

No hard evidence, just piecing together the rumors.

FWIW, a poster on another site claims to have talked to Haslem SR at a charity event and asked him if Gruden was coming.  Haslem reportedly laughed for 30 seconds and then said "the season isn't over yet".

Take it FWIW, probably not much, but if top boosters and/or the admin are taking the position of waiting for the season to play out, then I at least am pleased, because in spite of being accused of being a "doolaid drinker" this has been my position all along.

I haven't really taken a hard position that Dooley needs to be back next year, just that I prefer for the season to play out and then make a reasoned decision at the end.

Having said that, the option you cite, IMO, would not be the end of the world to me, but I am on record as saying that due to the extreme circumstances of Kiffin screwing us, it's not unreasonable to allow four years. 

[Volznut]

Well I can say that I'm not excited about any of the other names that have been floated out there, but Dooley is an embarrassment.  I'm resigned to a "whatever" state of mind.

The thing is, from what I am gathering, Gruden had interest and the money was there to get him.

[PirateVOL]

Will return for 2013 with a new defensive coordinator and a few defensive position coaches.

No hard evidence, just piecing together the rumors.

I feel you are spot on. 

I think only one defensive coach should be retained

[VinnieVOL]

I feel you are spot on. 

I think only one defensive coach should be retained

If true, what an all time low 2013 will be.  Recruiting is in the gutter.  The fan base (all but Bandit) has completely given up on Dooley.  Dooleyball is an utter embarrassment and for the life of me I can't understand why the powers that be want to prolong the inevitable.  Just get it over with!  There is ZERO reason to let the season play out.  There's nothing left to play out!

I tell you, the perfect picture of Dooleyball was in the second quarter when Dooley had to take a time out on Troy's FG attempt so that he could count the number of players on the field.  Troy then goes for it and scores a TD, and the door was opened for them.   

[Inspector Vol]

Didn't Dooley hire Sunseri? How do you skate on that?

I know its a bad analogy but the powers that be are about to tick off a bunch of Vol fans like the baseball strike did.......which took them years and years to recover from. I still don't follow baseball like I did before the strike......to wit I didn't watch the 1st game this year. Of course part of that was due to circumstances.

[VinnieVOL]

Didn't Dooley hire Sunseri? How do you skate on that?

I know its a bad analogy but the powers that be are about to tick off a bunch of Vol fans like the baseball strike did.......which took them years and years to recover from. I still don't follow baseball like I did before the strike......to wit I didn't watch the 1st game this year. Of course part of that was due to circumstances.

Sal will be the attempted peace offering to try and keep the wolves at bay.

[Volznut]

Sal will be the attempted peace offering to try and keep the wolves at bay.

It depends. CDD does need to win out IMO

[BanditVol]

If true, what an all time low 2013 will be.  Recruiting is in the gutter.  The fan base (all but Bandit) has completely given up on Dooley.  Dooleyball is an utter embarrassment and for the life of me I can't understand why the powers that be want to prolong the inevitable.  Just get it over with!  There is ZERO reason to let the season play out.  There's nothing left to play out!

I tell you, the perfect picture of Dooleyball was in the second quarter when Dooley had to take a time out on Troy's FG attempt so that he could count the number of players on the field.  Troy then goes for it and scores a TD, and the door was opened for them.   

LOL!  There are far more than me.  Recent polls on other sites indicate a 2-1 split against Dooley. 

I agree about the timeout.  Wondered if anyone else noticed that.  That was in fact pretty bad.

Fire the coach after Florida, like some of you wanted, and it would almost certainly be the worst season of Vol football next year.  I doubt we sniff 500.  Have a little patience....

[VinnieVOL]

LOL!  There are far more than me.  Recent polls on other sites indicate a 2-1 split against Dooley. 

I agree about the timeout.  Wondered if anyone else noticed that.  That was in fact pretty bad.

Fire the coach after Florida, like some of you wanted, and it would almost certainly be the worst season of Vol football next year.  I doubt we sniff 500.  Have a little patience....

LOL! "have a little patience"  Hey, why don't we just give him a contract extension for all his moral victories?  After all, progress!

[Black Diamond Vol]

LOL!  There are far more than me.  Recent polls on other sites indicate a 2-1 split against Dooley. 

I agree about the timeout.  Wondered if anyone else noticed that.  That was in fact pretty bad.

Fire the coach after Florida, like some of you wanted, and it would almost certainly be the worst season of Vol football next year.  I doubt we sniff 500.  Have a little patience....

Only 2-1, huh?  Name another profession where two thirds of your customers are dissatisfied and you keep your job.

[ReVOLver]

I feel you are spot on. 

I think only one defensive coach should be retained

Ansley? Or Conklin?

[ReVOLver]

FWIW, a poster on another site claims to have talked to Haslem SR at a charity event and asked him if Gruden was coming.  Haslem reportedly laughed for 30 seconds and then said "the season isn't over yet".

Take it FWIW, probably not much, but if top boosters and/or the admin are taking the position of waiting for the season to play out, then I at least am pleased, because in spite of being accused of being a "doolaid drinker" this has been my position all along.

I haven't really taken a hard position that Dooley needs to be back next year, just that I prefer for the season to play out and then make a reasoned decision at the end.

Having said that, the option you cite, IMO, would not be the end of the world to me, but I am on record as saying that due to the extreme circumstances of Kiffin screwing us, it's not unreasonable to allow four years. 

It's unreasonable to allow four years when the place turns into a mausoleum before the end of year three. The fanbase is voting with its wallet. If they ignore that, then the University has stopped caring about football altogether and not only will they suck next year and not only will recruiting suck but the attractiveness of the job goes down.

Also I don't believe any posters who said they have talked to any Haslem and that includes the plethora of people that I saw say that they talked to one of them and was sure Gruden was coming.

I don't think you are a Doolaid drinker, I think you really enjoy feeling like you are the "calm and rational" person... the voice in the wilderness.

[Black Diamond Vol]

It's unreasonable to allow four years when the place turns into a mausoleum before the end of year three. The fanbase is voting with its wallet. If they ignore that, then the University has stopped caring about football altogether and not only will they suck next year and not only will recruiting suck but the attractiveness of the job goes down.

Also I don't believe any posters who said they have talked to any Haslem and that includes the plethora of people that I saw say that they talked to one of them and was sure Gruden was coming.

I don't think you are a Doolaid drinker, I think you really enjoy feeling like you are the "calm and rational" person... the voice in the wilderness.

Recruiting is already in the shizzleter (11th in the SEC), and there aren't many big names left on our board.  Dooley's job status is weighing heavily on the minds of recruits, and that's not something he's going to be able to overcome short of winning 10-11 games next year (and pigs might fly out my ass, too).  What's more, next year's home schedule is the weakest it's ever been.  So unless there is some injection of excitement, Saturday's crowd is going to be the norm next year. 

[BanditVol]

Only 2-1, huh?  Name another profession where two thirds of your customers are dissatisfied and you keep your job.

I'm not the "only one" is what I am saying, and it's not even close.

And FTR, I have not advocated keeping Dooley.  Not at all, not earlier in the season, and not now.

Right or wrong, my take is that we need to have some measure of success this season regardless of who the coach is.  Get rid of Dooley prematurely, and you almost guarantee a losing season and no bowl.

If we win out, including the bowl game, then we achieve our first 8-win season and bowl victory since 2007, which is an achievement.  Not the achievement any long-time Vol wants, but significantly better than the last four years. 

I still want that to happen.  And if that doesn't get Dooley fired on the schedule of some of our more desperate fanbase, then so be it.

[VinnieVOL]

It's also possible this is just another smokescreen. 

[BanditVol]

It's also possible this is just another smokescreen. 

Or that a range of options are being considered, depending on how it goes from here.

Again, FWIW, this is all playing out so far based on a hunch I have, which is just that, a hunch.  But so far....

[Clockwork Orange]

I think there is a lot of propaganda out there. I think the athletic side is leaking info in order to set public perception against the academic side... Things like the fact that Izuea Lanier would've been eligible at all 13 SEC schools not named Tennessee, including Vandy.

I think the BoT and the AD are trying to pull a power play to get Cheek outta there.

I've been resisting this idea because I find the thought that Cheek is working against UT athletics preposterous because of how short-sighted that would make Cheek. The man could be a lot of things but I don't believe he's an idiot.

You have to truly live in an ivory tower to think that a downgrade in the importance of UT athletics is necessary for its academics to shine. No, I think it's more than that . . . you have to live in such a tower to believe a downgrade in UT athletics won't hurt its academics. A guy like Cheek-- who spent his entire career at a major SEC school with numerous successful programs and championships while having very good academics for a public school-- surely must understand that you can't expect people in the south to detach themselves from football but still feel just as passionate about their university. That is wishful thinking at its very best.

This is why I still don't think Cheek is playing the role in this that is rumored. I'm still inclined to think it's conspiracy nonsense that goes back to irritation at hiring two administrators (DiPietro and Cheek) that had spent a number of years at UF.  Maybe we'll find out the truth sometime.

[VinnieVOL]

Or that a range of options are being considered, depending on how it goes from here.

Again, FWIW, this is all playing out so far based on a hunch I have, which is just that, a hunch.  But so far....

So? If you, me, or any of us is right about how this plays out.. It's because of pure luck.  None of us really knows what's going on behind the scenes.

[Stogie Vol]

Or that a range of options are being considered, depending on how it goes from here.

Again, FWIW, this is all playing out so far based on a hunch I have, which is just that, a hunch.  But so far....

What is your hunch?  Anyone can claim that things are progressing exactly according to his hunch if he doesn't make his hunch known up front.