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#1

Gandalf

The Orange/White Wizard
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Dec 7, 2012
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#1
So if Niedermeyer was laying out happy meals to potential recruits and, giving benefits and basically being "sloppy" about it, where do you think he learned that? Lets see, title at Bama was "Director of Recruiting Operations" and before that he was a grad assist at GA. Does anyone actually think that Nieds actually just started handing out McDonalds bags of cash to players when he got to TN? You can be darn sure he was handing out T-Bone steaks at Bama, yet I would bet every dime I have that NCAA will never even think to look at his former stop.

Dan Patrick said that his source says they weren't even trying to hide it, they got "sloppy" and while GA is sloppy too, nobody is looking at them. I wonder if our real problem in trying to compete in the SEC (much less nationally) is that the culture in places like Tuscaloosa and Atlanta would NEVER actually report any of this - meaning the school, the local media, the officials, anyone. So Nieds comes in and does the necessary just like he learned to do but elsewhere, what he was doing is considered SOP and not sloppy at all.

A hypothetical question - if others are cheating but nobody actually reports it or recognizes it, is it actually cheating any more? I mean from a moral sense. If you get "caught" cheating, then of course, there are consequences but did you really do anything "wrong" or is it that you were simply too weak to stop your enemies/opponents from using the leverage of the governing organization to further keep other programs down? Meanwhile, the sports media lectures you on your supposed moral depravity and other programs spout pious sloganeering on why their recruiting process is a righteous, deeply caring family. Gosh, for a moment there, I thought I was discussing a presidential election, but I digress...

Basically, do you think the pious moralizing about "student athletes" is actually believed by any programs, media, players or is it simply fodder for the rubes that the strong programs impose upon the lessers and that those in losing programs cling to so that they can feel morally righteous about their program's mediocre results?
 
#4
#4
The bigger question is how are we cheating so much and still suck?

That's on the coaching.

It's never really been about the lack of talent here. I mean some years you could argue that. Certainly the cupboard was pretty bare the first seasons when Pruitt and Butch both took over. But you gotta coach guys up. The coaches have failed to do that in every instance. Even when we got the talent built up, the best they could muster were 8-9 win seasons.
 
#5
#5
I believe if Pruitt and company were competing for SEC titles we would have never heard of this. As the Vols play on the field was atrocious, Pruitt became combative with the media. Everything from personnel decisions to in game coaching calls were clearly not at the par of which you would expect from a coach at this level. The University understood it had a small window of opportunity to cut bait - FOR CAUSE - rather than watch the program completely fall apart and be burdened by yet another huge buyout. The team never felt like a cohesive unit. This blame lays squarely at the feet of Pruitt and company. Culture and attitude two of the most important things when building a successful football program. Pruitt could not handle this simple task. I thank the University for having the vision to take action now. As rough of a pill this will be to swallow for Vol Nation now, it will certainly be better than if nothing were done. We have credible coaches going to the media saying they want the UT job. When is the last time that happened? Admin struck while the iron was hot and that should make us all grateful.
 
#7
#7
The bigger question is how are we cheating so much and still suck?
We were cheating in recruiting. That doesn't correct the massive ineptitude in coaching. Our results on the field never came remotely close to matching our recruiting rankings.
If anything, they seemed to make players worse instead of better.
 

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