VTTW Board Index

First of all, this whole story still sounds pretty outrageous to me.  So until Fulmer is officially introduced as AD, I won't believe it.  That said, if it DOES happen:

-You've got a slam dunk AD candidate 90 minutes down the road, a UT guy through and through who would probably crawl to Knoxville on his hands and knees for the job.  How many schools could fizzle that up?  There's only one, folks.  He'll be working against us at one of our SEC rival schools soon enough.

-There's really only one way I can see this working: They bring in Blackburn or someone of similar qualifications along with Fulmer.  This person, while officially Fulmer's #2, is in actuality "The Man Behind the Curtain".  He's given full run of the day to day operations of the UTAD, to include hiring and firing of coaches.  Fulmer, meanwhile, serves as a figurehead- someone to stand in and gladhand the Thorntons and Haslams of the world.  A "fundraiser in chief", if you will.  Besides, Fulmer is, what, 67?  He isn't going to do this for more than 4-5 years.  Bring in Blackburn as well to be the AD in waiting.  Easy enough, except I don't think Blackburn OR Fulmer would agree to such an arrangement.

-I think I've decided what I want to do when I grow up: Run my own search firm.  Remember a few weeks ago when they announced they would employ this firm, and we were all worried that it meant they were looking past Blackburn, and bringing in an outsider?  Well, we were half right, anyway.  So after weeks of "searching", this firm led us to hire Phil Fulmer?  I hope we paid them well for that sage bit of counsel.  What a freaking racket.

-It occurs to me that if Fulmer's our guy we could've easily hired him last year, the day Hart announced his retirement.  It's not like he had anything else to do.  And even a year of Fulmer running the show would be preferable to a Hart lame duck year. 

Again, we shouldn't be surprised.  There's only one school that could fizzle things up to this degree. :frown:

who knows, maybe Fulmer will hire himself as the next football coach, and then hire Blackburn to replace him! :dielaughing:

That theory is already out there ...............

And we wonder why the football program has struggled so much the last 10 years. We will just have to wait and see how this all plays out. Is Fulmer all the huge donors boy or will they be less generous if he is hired?

I have a few thoughts on it myself...

(https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/2014-09/23/19/enhanced/webdr07/enhanced-4359-1411513413-26.jpg)

Fulmer is Thunder's boy...and that's all that matters.

A couple of points that I have heard from local talking heads today that make sense.

1.  So the same guys who were so ready to send Fulmer on his way enough to write checks for $6 million for him not to coach football are now ready to rehire him to run the entire UTAD?  Think about that one for a minute.  Those guys didn't get wealthy by making stupid business decisions and they don't throw good money after bad.

2.  You hire Fulmer for 3-5 years - passing on David Blackburn - and then expect Blackburn to wait on the job to come around again?  That's not going to happen.  Somebody else is going to come and get him.  Pass on him now that that likely burns that bridge.  

Hearing a lot of discussion from today, I think the "it's done and Fulmer is the guy" talk is complete bull shizzle.  Just doesn't make much sense.  

Exactly why I thought the whole story sounded crazy.  The reports came out last night that it was a done deal- but the more time passes without some sort of confirmation, the more I'm beginning to doubt it.  Hopefully that's not just wishful thinking... :frown:

Well, we're just gonna have to wait till we can watch the film on that...
 :dielaughing: :doh: :dude:

i hope you are right on the bull shizzle part.

Hopefully Herb is correct. There seems to be rare unanimity among the fan base on this issue.

Another thought.... UT has pursued Blackburn and he doesn't really want the job.  How would we know?

Blackburn said in a radio last month that he absolutely wants the job. In fact, he said that he's always "coveted" the job.

Mike Griffith quoted Blackburn yesterday as saying he has not been contacted by UT.

Absolutely not.  He would take the UTK job in a New York minute. 

And we need to work like heck to get there because Fulmer didn't just get stupid overnight, you know.  It took some time. 

There an old strategy that if you say something long enough... Maybe it will happen... Or the old "power of suggestion".  Doug Matthews is pushing for Fulmer and he said on his show this weekend that an AD announcement was imminent... He is one ot the people who are spreading this rumor...