Coach Kellie Harper fired

[VolsAgainstTheWorld15]

Very good point. I have always thought the "NIL excuse" was just a crutch for fans who didn't want to see Kellie Harper fired.

.... I want to add that although I think her firing is the right move and had to be done, it is sad to see. Kellie Jolly was a member of 3 National Championship teams, and the starting point guard for the best team we have ever had in 1997-1998. I just think she is better suited for smaller programs. I will always wish her well.

Agreed. I think she’s a very good human being. We need more like her in college athletics in that regard. Just didn’t manage to get the job done with the in court results.

 

[Orange.]

Time will tell.

It is comforting to believe that White has a master plan with clearly defined options a, b,, c, d.....z and a Dr. Strange-like ability to anticipate all possible future outcomes and choose the one path that leads to ultimate victory.

Conversely, it is possible, and perhaps more likely, that women's basketball was not on his central radar screen and, under some intensified pressure to take action after the NCST loss, he was hoping to salvage Kellie's situation to avoid having to invest a lot more resources at a very late date.

If you really have the better replacement, you don't offer the existing a path forward and hope she declines.

SNAFUS happen....

DW very much wants to bring the LVs back to national prominence. The "everything school" mantra is for real. The LVs absolutely are on his radar.

I am very surprised there is so much doubt here about DW and his intentions. With all due respect (and I am being earnest, not sarcastic), I think that is a strain of BVS. I realize I'm an "outsider;" but look at @Rooster's posts, if it makes you more open to the view. He is a regular. And besides, Vols-fan "outsiders" are not outsiders. There is a lot more support for the LVs than you may realize. And there is no way to grow the base without... new faces.

 

[VolBall09]

Back in the day it seems that board took up collections to send her on road trips?.....Do they still do that?

Oh dear God no, she exiled herself many moons ago. I hear tale she has a Facebook group but is closely monitored and positive patsies only.

 

[plumbervol]

For everybody criticizing KJH's decision or Jon's not taking one by resigning has to consider what other things was included for her having a path to stay. I cant believe a contract renegotiation would not be included in this path that DW laid out. If they are planning your exit you figure out your best option and go with it. Coach Cutt did this with Ole Miss and refused to make staff changes took the money and run. Pearl in the middle of the picnicgate was forced to renegotiate to keep his job for a year knowing darn well they were going to run his butt off. All his staff was hunting for landing spots and his players at the end just wanted the season to end. The only people who actually thought Pearl was going to get to stay was Jimmy Hyams and some orange tinted glasses fans. The staff was all hunting for jobs the entire season and Pearls lawyer was fighting for the best exit strategy. So you add and subtract your and Jons salary, you consider the renegotiated contract and what the buyout is today and you take the best offer knowing UT if not this year but next year is going to run your butt. Some of big Orange nation is still mad that Fulmer did not give back cash from his buyout like anyone other than a blooming idiot would do such a thing. And yes KJH and Fulmer still love UT and are VFL. It is business, PERIOD.

 

[VolsAgainstTheWorld15]

Beat national champ LSU last year.

And Butch Jones beat Georgia twice and Steve Spurrier twice. Didn’t make him a good coach. 12-35, or something like that, against ranked opponents tells the story.

 

[glv98]

Would also love Fortier. That 80% win percentage is magical. Usually translate, if you know how to win, you know how to win. Kellie was career 60% and did about that.

Now you're trolling. You can't want Fortier. Her hubby is her assistant.

Appears that was never based in fact and she has subversively retracted it on X. In her own way lol.
Sorry for running with that, but when it’s in what’s supposed to be a legit news source it’s tough. I mean it’s a paid site and everything.

Wait! We ran screaming piling on Jon on the day he lost his job and it turned out not to be true? No way. Yeah it was tough to leave, esp when it fit your agenda.

And of course it's Maria. I said after the last presser if she hadn't been on zoom I think Kellie would have punched her. No I think she might seek her out and do so, and she should. Maria is an embarrassment and you could see the eyes rolling everytime her name was called.

If Cardoso misses the miracle three and UT wins the SECT, does CKH stay?

I t.hink so.I think either winning that game (didn't have to win the tourney) or winning the NCST game would have saved her.

Yeah, I meant the buyout article. We both looked at the timing and Cora of all people to put it out there. It was too much of a coincidence.

I have been going back and forth on the list article. Like you, I wonder if it was again UTAD letting her in on something. Niele and Shea are both kind of wild guesses, but I do wonder if the target is somewhere on there. Might just be me being a conspiracy theorist again though

Again, important to remember Cora has zero control over when articles run. She submits several articles, then all editorial decisions are out of her hands. So any timing conspiracies are btw AD and KNS editors.

 

[madtownvol]

DW very much wants to bring the LVs back to national prominence. The "everything school" mantra is for real. The LVs absolutely are on his radar.

I am very surprised there is so much doubt here about DW and his intentions. With all due respect (and I am being earnest, not sarcastic), I think that is a strain of BVS. I realize I'm an "outsider;" but look at @Rooster's posts, if it makes you more open to the view. He is a regular. And besides, Vols-fan "outsiders" are not outsiders. There is a lot more support for the LVs than you may realize. And there is no way to grow the base without... new faces.

No argument here. In other posts, I have explained and retracted my earlier comments. I was responding to a report from Maria Cornelius which subsequently proved to be erroneous.

 

[glv98]

For everybody criticizing KJH's decision or Jon's not taking one by resigning has to consider what other things was included for her having a path to stay. I cant believe a contract renegotiation would not be included in this path that DW laid out. If they are planning your exit you figure out your best option and go with it. Coach Cutt did this with Ole Miss and refused to make staff changes took the money and run. Pearl in the middle of the picnicgate was forced to renegotiate to keep his job for a year knowing darn well they were going to run his butt off. All his staff was hunting for landing spots and his players at the end just wanted the season to end. The only people who actually thought Pearl was going to get to stay was Jimmy Hyams and some orange tinted glasses fans. The staff was all hunting for jobs the entire season and Pearls lawyer was fighting for the best exit strategy. So you add and subtract your and Jons salary, you consider the renegotiated contract and what the buyout is today and you take the best offer knowing UT if not this year but next year is going to run your butt. Some of big Orange nation is still mad that Fulmer did not give back cash from his buyout like anyone other than a blooming idiot would do such a thing. And yes KJH and Fulmer still love UT and are VFL. It is business, PERIOD.

In case you didn't hear, this whole fire Jon or resign fiction turned out to be just that. Fiction. Person who reported that has retracted. But the truly scary thing is in today's world, this type disinformation is so easy to vomit out, but can almost never be effectively clawed back. I promise you in 10 yrs people will be saying Jon caused Kellie to get fired. It's already all over twitter. Truth exited the building in 2016.

 

[madtownvol]

For everybody criticizing KJH's decision or Jon's not taking one by resigning has to consider what other things was included for her having a path to stay. I cant believe a contract renegotiation would not be included in this path that DW laid out. If they are planning your exit you figure out your best option and go with it. Coach Cutt did this with Ole Miss and refused to make staff changes took the money and run. Pearl in the middle of the picnicgate was forced to renegotiate to keep his job for a year knowing darn well they were going to run his butt off. All his staff was hunting for landing spots and his players at the end just wanted the season to end. The only people who actually thought Pearl was going to get to stay was Jimmy Hyams and some orange tinted glasses fans. The staff was all hunting for jobs the entire season and Pearls lawyer was fighting for the best exit strategy. So you add and subtract your and Jons salary, you consider the renegotiated contract and what the buyout is today and you take the best offer knowing UT if not this year but next year is going to run your butt. Some of big Orange nation is still mad that Fulmer did not give back cash from his buyout like anyone other than a blooming idiot would do such a thing. And yes KJH and Fulmer still love UT and are VFL. It is business, PERIOD.

That whole story turned out to be garbage. We all got conned.....Kellie was terminated full stop.

 

[VolBall09]

Now you're trolling. You can't want Fortier. Her hubby is her assistant.

Wait! We ran screaming piling on Jon on the day he lost his job and it turned out not to be true? No way. Yeah it was tough to leave, esp when it fit your agenda.

And of course it's Maria. I said after the last presser if she hadn't been on zoom I think Kellie would have punched her. No I think she might seek her out and do so, and she should. Maria is an embarrassment and you could see the eyes rolling everytime her name was called.

I t.hink so.I think either winning that game (didn't have to win the tourney) or winning the NCST game would have saved her.

Again, important to remember Cora has zero control over when articles run. She submits several articles, then all editorial decisions are out of her hands. So any timing conspiracies are btw AD and KNS editors.

If they’re a package deal, then no. Her alone, yes.

 

[Orange.]

She has corrected it officially now.

She must read this forum.

 

[xtpsrh08123]

THERE WAS NO KEEP KELLIE WITHOUT JON ..JON WAS NEVER A FACTOR IT WAS HER WHO GOT THE BOOT PLEASE STOP SPREADING MISINFORMATION.

 

[mr.checkerboards]

In case you didn't hear, this whole fire Jon or resign fiction turned out to be just that. Fiction. Person who reported that has retracted. But the truly scary thing is in today's world, this type disinformation is so easy to vomit out, but can almost never be effectively clawed back. I promise you in 10 yrs people will be saying Jon caused Kellie to get fired. It's already all over twitter. Truth exited the building in 2016.

This is a well connected insider who begs to differ.

It was the recruiting that sealed it for CKJH. Couldn't get it back on track and wasn't making the progress needed in the portal. And Jon was a non-negotiable who took up a spot without recruiting.

 

[pianoko]

Why? Because we were so close to championship status? Ha!

Eh, I think that's a little unfair. Were we a win away from a championship? No. But we saw huge improvement the 2nd half of the season and played everyone tough. We're the freaking Lady Vols. Pat Summitt is the reason women's basketball (and arguably all women's sports) is what it is. If you don't have a championship caliber coach lined up, then don't bother. I see your point, though. We weren't meeting expectations for the Lady Vols, so we have to move on.

 

[glv98]

She must read this forum.

This needs to be a more definitive retraction an apology, but the damage she did to the Harpers' reputation is already done. Will be the narrative her forever after. Disinformation in all areas is a huge threat ya'll.

 

[HoptownVol]

I was a big supporter of her hire, but alas.... this needed to be done.

 

[Hoosier]

Danny White is a gutless moron. After 32 years, I see no point in following Lady Vols basketball any longer, and no, I won't let the door hit me on the way out.

 

[Orange.]

Ya know what i said about having to adapt to new information.

It turns out it was all fan fiction. MMC has retracted that claim and now reports that Kellie was never offered a path forward. A lot of sturm and drang for nothin'.

A lot of the media reactions will contain inaccuracies or be overblown or frank trolls and clickbaits. DW runs a very tight ship, and it is not likely at all that people who claim to have inside information with regard to the search do in fact know what is going on behind the scenes. (I am not faulting MMC.) Publicizing searches in detail gratifies rumor mongers, but hinders the actual business of finding the best coach.

That whole story turned out to be garbage. We all got conned.....Kellie was terminated full stop.

Actually, we don't know which account was correct or why it was changed. It was a peculiar error to make unsubstantiated. It's not impossible that one or both of the parties involved thought it was leading to fruitless speculation. I can see Kellie, in particular, not wanting matters involving her family to be spotlighted and thematized.

All shall be well. Let's just stay patient.

 

[glv98]

This is a well connected insider who begs to differ.

Absolutely does not say Kellie was offered a "path" if she would fire staff (Jon). So narrative is now that Kellie could have stayed if she fired Jon. Everyone already knew Jon was non-negoitable (which made the AD offer story ridiculous to start with) and that he didn't recruit. That could have been an issue, but the "path" story was Maria's wild ramblings.

 

[Orange.]

Danny White is a gutless moron. After 32 years, I see no point in following Lady Vols basketball any longer, and no, I won't let the door hit me on the way out.

We'll check your stats. Keep your word.

 

[mr.checkerboards]

Absolutely does not say Kellie was offered a "path" if she would fire staff (Jon). So narrative is now that Kellie could have stayed if she fired Jon. Everyone already knew Jon was non-negoitable (which made the AD offer story ridiculous to start with) and that he didn't recruit. That could have been an issue, but the "path" story was Maria's wild ramblings.

And you know this for a fact? His post implies that staff changes could've possibly saved her.

 

[madtownvol]

This needs to be a more definitive retraction an apology, but the damage she did to the Harpers' reputation is already done. Will be the narrative her forever after. Disinformation in all areas is a huge threat ya'll.

I agree. She should make an overt correction and apologize.

I know and like Maria, though we have not interacted for a long time. Unfortunately, her journalistic standards have plummeted.

 

[Lucy]

That whole story turned out to be garbage. We all got conned.....Kellie was terminated full stop.

Or Maria was asked to remove that? If true it would not be a good look for DW.

 

[glv98]

Or Maria was asked to remove that? If true it would not be a good look for DW.

See the damage this does? Now we're speculating about the speculation that turned out to be garbage all along.

 

[madtownvol]

And you know this for a fact? His post implies that staff changes could've possibly saved her.

Where? I am really curious about the part I am missing:

After a thorough review of our women’s basketball program, I have informed Kellie we are making a change in leadership,” White said in a statement on Monday. “Decisions like these are never easy to make, especially with someone who has done so much for the Lady Vols as a three-time national champion student-athlete. Her love and passion for Tennessee and the Lady Vols is second to none. She has invested so much heart and soul into our program and truly has given her all for Tennessee. I thank Kellie for her stewardship of our women’s basketball program and wish her and Jon well in the next chapter of their lives.”