Well here's a little in-game news dump

[Black Diamond Vol]

Apparently we're cheating. Yes, that's right. We can't even win when we cheat.

https://fanrunradio.com/breaking-tennessee-football-under-investigation-by-compliance-and-ncaa/

[Creek Walker]

That SOB cannot be dismissed quickly enough. 

[VinnieVOL]

Timing seems... Kinda planned?

[BanditVol]

Eh, so that's why Gray is not in the game.  Was wondering. 

[BanditVol]

Hm,  that would be a firing for cause, right? 

[Black Diamond Vol]

Hm,  that would be a firing for cause, right? 

Maybe, but here's the thing: You don't make a big show of firing Pruitt for cause only to turn around and replace him with Hugh Freeze. Talk about bad optics...

[murfvol]

Maybe, but here's the thing: You don't make a big show of firing Pruitt for cause only to turn around and replace him with Hugh Freeze. Talk about bad optics...

Good point. Still, it's a negotiating point.

[VinnieVOL]

Maybe, but here's the thing: You don't make a big show of firing Pruitt for cause only to turn around and replace him with Hugh Freeze. Talk about bad optics...

Freeze is in the clear, isn't he?

I don't really see why anyone should care about optics at this point.

[Creek Walker]

I have never trusted Niedermeyer. It wouldn't surprise me a bit if all of this is substantiated.

[murfvol]

Personal take: I don't care about optics. The news cycle is so short it's immaterial.

That having been said, I might take Napier over Freeze. And yes, I'd take Art Briles over both IF he was just a scapegoat at Baylor. If not remove him from consideration.

[BanditVol]

I have never trusted Niedermeyer. It wouldn't surprise me a bit if all of this is substantiated.

Did you mean UNsubstantiated?   

[Creek Walker]

Did you mean UNsubstantiated?   

No, I meant substantiated. It wouldn't surprise me if Niedermeyer is dirty.

[JeffCountyVolFan]

No, I meant substantiated. It wouldn't surprise me if Niedermeyer is dirty.

It would really surprise me if he wasn't dirty.

That said, every program cheats.  Its common knowledge.  If UT were to use that to fire CJP with cause, or to negotiate down the buyout, I can't imagine that would endear the program to future coaching candidates.

[BanditVol]

It would really surprise me if he wasn't dirty.

That said, every program cheats.  Its common knowledge.  If UT were to use that to fire CJP with cause, or to negotiate down the buyout, I can't imagine that would endear the program to future coaching candidates.

Eh, who cares.  I'd roll the dice on that one for sure.

[JeffCountyVolFan]

Eh, who cares.  I'd roll the dice on that one for sure.

Eh, future coaching candidates might care. 

In case you've missed it, we've already had problems attracting proven coaches over the past decade plus.  I don't see that hiring CJP, negotiating a contract and buyout, and then using his staff's cheating as a means to wiggle out of said contract would definitely not improve UT's chances of attracting any proven coaches, especially since said coaches know that you have to cheat to win in college football.

[Creek Walker]

Eh, future coaching candidates might care. 

In case you've missed it, we've already had problems attracting proven coaches over the past decade plus.  I don't see that hiring CJP, negotiating a contract and buyout, and then using his staff's cheating as a means to wiggle out of said contract would definitely not improve UT's chances of attracting any proven coaches, especially since said coaches know that you have to cheat to win in college football.

Every program bends the rules. I do not subscribe to the theory that every school is committing the equivalent of major NCAA infractions.

[murfvol]

Eh, future coaching candidates might care.  

In case you've missed it, we've already had problems attracting proven coaches over the past decade plus.  I don't see that hiring CJP, negotiating a contract and buyout, and then using his staff's cheating as a means to wiggle out of said contract would definitely not improve UT's chances of attracting any proven coaches, especially since said coaches know that you have to cheat to win in college football.

Have we not attracted candidates, or just passed on good hires? We passed on Brian Kelly, Gary Patterson, and a few others.

[JeffCountyVolFan]

I would hope that you are correct, CW.  My gut tells me, however, that all major players in college football are likely involved in illegal payments and gifts.

There was an article about bag men several years ago that was very damning to the major college football network.

[JeffCountyVolFan]

murf, I would say some of both.

In hindsight, Patterson would have probably been a really good hire. 

I don't remember any proven coaches wanting the job when we hired Dooley, or Butch, or Pruitt.  I could very well be wrong about that, though.

[JeffCountyVolFan]

ESPN mentioning the Amarius Mims' recruitment this year in their article on our predicament.  Hmmmmm.

https://www.espn.com/college-footba...ball-program-recruiting-practices-sources-say

[BanditVol]

Eh, future coaching candidates might care. 

In case you've missed it, we've already had problems attracting proven coaches over the past decade plus.  I don't see that hiring CJP, negotiating a contract and buyout, and then using his staff's cheating as a means to wiggle out of said contract would definitely not improve UT's chances of attracting any proven coaches, especially since said coaches know that you have to cheat to win in college football.

My take is, if they care, fizzle em.  Universities pay too much to fired losers as it is.  If a coach doesn't have enough confidence in himself that he has to have a big buyout in his contract, I don't want him anyway.  If that leads to no good coach coming here (as if any have?   ), then that's fine with me.  It's just a dam game anyway, and life is bigger than game that people put way too much energy into.

It's obscene that Butch Jones got $8 million for going 4-8 then shot a bird at the University for 3 years by being Saban's personal assistant for 30-35K a year.  There are people who have trouble putting food on the table.

Saban has said many times that he doesn't care if he has a buyout or not.  He actually didn't have one his first three seasons.  He does now, but his willingness to do without a buyout his first three seasons is one of the few things I respect about him.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/216529-lack-of-buyout-in-sabans-contract-much-ado-about-nothing

So there you go.  Bama got SABAN without a buyout.  What more do you need than that?   

[HerbTarlekVol]

Every program bends the rules. I do not subscribe to the theory that every school is committing the equivalent of major NCAA infractions.

This.

[JeffCountyVolFan]

My take is, if they care, fizzle em.  Universities pay too much to fired losers as it is.  If a coach doesn't have enough confidence in himself that he has to have a big buyout in his contract, I don't want him anyway.  If that leads to no good coach coming here (as if any have?   ), then that's fine with me.  It's just a dam game anyway, and life is bigger than game that people put way too much energy into.

I agree with all of this, although buyouts are a way of life in college football at the present time (whether I believe they should be or not).  The one thing I've learned from Covid-19 is that I was way too vested in sports.  I'm much less vested now than I was.  It is, indeed, just a game.

It's obscene that Butch Jones got $8 million for going 4-8 then shot a bird at the University for 3 years by being Saban's personal assistant for 30-35K a year.  There are people who have trouble putting food on the table.

I agree with this even more than I agree with what you said above.

Saban has said many times that he doesn't care if he has a buyout or not.  He actually didn't have one his first three seasons.  He does now, but his willingness to do without a buyout his first three seasons is one of the few things I respect about him.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/216529-lack-of-buyout-in-sabans-contract-much-ado-about-nothing

Again, we agree.

So there you go.  Bama got SABAN without a buyout.  What more do you need than that?   

I don't think this is likely to happen in Knoxville.

[RockinGrannyVol]

Well I know you don't pay much attention to what we women say... but I was just informed that Pruitt may have lied to the UT compliance office and things aren't good in Knoxville... so take it for what is worth.  May be worth zilch... but that's what I was told.

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[PirateVOL]

Well I know you don't pay much attention to what we women say... but I was just informed that Pruitt may have lied to the UT compliance office and things aren't good in Knoxville... so take it for what is worth.  May be worth zilch... but that's what I was told.

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Well, I hope he didn't
But if he did, saves the school a LOT of $$$$