Johnny Majors lecture at ETSU... This is a classic.

[knox73]

For older fans - this is a hilarious lecture by Majors. He holds nothing back including his final year at UT and his getting forced out.

You can see what a phenomenal personality he was. Johnny was such a contrast to Bear Bryant, Pat Dye and Vince Dooley - the northeastern media loved him.

 

[OrangeInKy]

For older fans - this is a hilarious lecture by Majors. He holds nothing back including his final year at UT and his getting forced out.

You can see what a phenomenal personality he was. Johnny was such a contrast to Bear Bryant, Pat Dye and Vince Dooley - the northeastern media loved him.

He was always right about Fulmer.

 

[KnoxRealtorVOL]

That's like an hour and fifteen minutes long, can anyone summarize?

 

[Savannahbayvol]

He was always right about Fulmer.

Fulmer and Majors were 2 peas in a pod. Both were done in by their own arrogance and hubris, neither thought they would be fired because they were former UT players.

You dont call your bosses out in public when you have lost 7 in a row to Alabama. Fulmer kept his mediocre assts on board way too long.

I appreciate what both did as players and coaches but they were both hoisted on their own petard.

 

[JohnWardForever]

That's like an hour and fifteen minutes long, can anyone summarize?

Yep. Majors talked about getting robbed of the Heistman (Correctly) all his achievements and the Fulmer Coup, his disdain for Dickey, Fulmer and Joe Johnson. What he failed to mention was the fact that he was arrogant and hard to work/play for, and the team played much better when Fulmer took over. I talked to an Ole Miss Assistant a year prior to all of that and He Mentioned that Majors was "Difficult to work for". John Majors could have been another Neyland IF he had been more personable with his associates and left the Booze alone. Still, the fact that he loved Tennessee as he did, gives him a pass; IMO. He is Tennessee Football Royalty. and he was quick to acknowledge it. Bittersweet.

 

[OrangeInKy]

Fulmer and Majors were 2 peas in a pod. Both were done in by their own arrogance and hubris, neither thought they would be fired because they were former UT players.

You dont call your bosses out in public when you have lost 7 in a row to Alabama. Fulmer kept his mediocre assts on board way too long.

I appreciate what both did as players and coaches but they were both hoisted on their own petard.

Well, that may be true, but Majors didn’t hang around and stir junk up and then come back and worm his way into the AD chair only to see a “failure to monitor” charge under his watch, then get another million out the door while still walking around the place like a king in his kingdom.

 

[VFL-82-JP]

Fulmer and Majors were 2 peas in a pod. Both were done in by their own arrogance and hubris, neither thought they would be fired because they were former UT players.

You dont call your bosses out in public when you have lost 7 in a row to Alabama. Fulmer kept his mediocre assts on board way too long.

I appreciate what both did as players and coaches but they were both hoisted on their own petard.

The saying goes, "never look too closely at your heroes."

If you want them to remain heroes, anyway. With one exception, the perfect human has never been born.

I greatly appreciate what both these men did for our program, and will stay focused on that.

Go Vols!

 

[Hacksaw]

We had way too much talent on those last few Majors teams to lose the number of games we did. Good seasons, yes, but it still felt like we were underachieving. With Fulmer as interim coach, the team seemed to be unleashed. Johnny came back quicker than most of us were expecting and it felt like the team regressed.

It's sad the way it ended, but no one lasts forever and you can't blame Johnny for not wanting to give up, anymore than you can blame the school and the fans for recognizing the fact that we were just better under Fulmer. Fulmer won the national title, had a better overall winning percentage and nine seasons with 10 or more wins -- compared to only 2 under Johnny.

Johnny's argument would be a lot stronger in hindsight if he had done better at Pitt following his dismissal at UT. Instead, four horrible seasons seemed only to confirm what everyone other than Johnny seemed to already know.

 

[#1fulmerite]

We had way too much talent on those last few Majors teams to lose the number of games we did. Good seasons, yes, but it still felt like we were underachieving. With Fulmer as interim coach, the team seemed to be unleashed. Johnny came back quicker than most of us were expecting and it felt like the team regressed.

It's sad the way it ended, but no one lasts forever and you can't blame Johnny for not wanting to give up, anymore than you can blame the school and the fans for recognizing the fact that we were just better under Fulmer. Fulmer won the national title, had a better overall winning percentage and nine seasons with 10 or more wins -- compared to only 2 under Johnny.

Johnny's argument would be a lot stronger in hindsight if he had done better at Pitt following his dismissal at UT. Instead, four horrible seasons seemed only to confirm what everyone other than Johnny seemed to already know.

Had it not been for Fulmer, we would never have made it back to the heights of the Neyland era; where Tennessee football was before Fulmer was unceremoniously fired.

 

[NighthawkVol]

Well, that may be true, but Majors didn’t hang around and stir junk up and then come back and worm his way into the AD chair only to see a “failure to monitor” charge under his watch, then get another million out the door while still walking around the place like a king in his kingdom.

Don’t forget giving millions of UT’s dollars to his buddy Kevin Steele to do nothing.

 

[brockytop]

Had it not been for Fulmer, we would never have made it back to the heights of the Neyland era; where Tennessee football was before Fulmer was unceremoniously fired.

You mean had it not been for Majors setting the table for Fulmer then TN would’ve never made it back to the heights of Neyland. PF’s right there with Lincoln Riley, Larry Coker, Tom Osborne and Frank Solich as being handed the keys of one helluva sports car.

 

[Hacksaw]

You mean had it not been for Majors setting the table for Fulmer then TN would’ve never made it back to the heights of Neyland. PF’s right there with Lincoln Riley, Larry Coker, Tom Osborne and Frank Solich as being handed the keys of one helluva sports car.

Majors set the table, but Fulmer got more out of the players he inherited. And Fulmer sustained a higher level of success long after Johnny's players were gone.

 

[#1fulmerite]

Had it not been for Fulmer, Majors would not have had the program he did.

 

[turdherder11]

Had it not been for Fulmer, Majors would not have had the program he did.

If it wasn't for Cut Fulmer would have been trash. We see what happened when Cut left. Bought out twice by the same university for doing a crap job. No love for Fulmer here. He should have won 3 nattys with those teams. I give more credit to those players / OC and DC than I ever will Fulmer.

 

[Hacksaw]

Had it not been for Fulmer, Majors would not have had the program he did.

He hired some great assistant coaches, which every head coach has to do to be successful.

If it wasn't for Cut Fulmer would have been trash. We see what happened when Cut left. Bought out twice by the same university for doing a crap job. No love for Fulmer here. He should have won 3 nattys with those teams. I give more credit to those players / OC and DC than I ever will Fulmer.

Don't know about the 3 NCs. A lot of great teams never win one. But your point about Cut is spot-on. Fulmer also made some very questionable hiring choices late in his career.

 

[brockytop]

Majors set the table, but Fulmer got more out of the players he inherited. And Fulmer sustained a higher level of success long after Johnny's players were gone.

I’m not arguing that whatsoever. I thought it was time for Majors to go, but I also give him his due for leaving a great program for PF to take over. Of course, PF was part of that already as an assistant coach and top notch recruiter.

 

[Hacksaw]

I’m not arguing that whatsoever. I thought it was time for Majors to go, but I also give him his due for leaving a great program for PF to take over. Of course, PF was part of that already as an assistant coach and top notch recruiter.

Looks like we're pretty much 100% in agreement.

 

[OrangeInKy]

Don’t forget giving millions of UT’s dollars to his buddy Kevin Steele to do nothing.

Couldn’t forget if I tried. I just didn’t have time to list all my grievances

 

[PandamoniumReigns]

Majors had John Ward calling his games.
Fulmer had Bumbling Bob calling his (from 1999 and on).

Majors is automatically better due to that reason.

 

[NighthawkVol]

Majors set the table, but Fulmer got more out of the players he inherited. And Fulmer sustained a higher level of success long after Johnny's players were gone.

And he left the program in much worse shape than he found it. One built it. he other ran it down. But in-between, we had some fun.

 

[NighthawkVol]

Fulmer and Majors were 2 peas in a pod. Both were done in by their own arrogance and hubris, neither thought they would be fired because they were former UT players.

You dont call your bosses out in public when you have lost 7 in a row to Alabama. Fulmer kept his mediocre assts on board way too long.

I appreciate what both did as players and coaches but they were both hoisted on their own petard.

I missed the part where Majors worked behind the scenes to stab his mentor in the back to take his job.

Yes, both had an ego. You can't succeed at a job like Tennessee without one. But that's where the comparison ends. They were not the same.

 

[Hacksaw]

And he left the program in much worse shape than he found it. One built it. he other ran it down. But in-between, we had some fun.

Well...I guess that's one way to look at it. To me, the part where we "had some fun" was the most important part. Nothing lasts forever.

 

[vol94]

Don’t forget giving millions of UT’s dollars to his buddy Kevin Steele to do nothing.

That was the most absurd thing I’ve ever seen regarding a coaching hire. I don’t think Steele spent more than a day on campus, yet made millions. It was such an embarrassment to our program.

Also, I still think Pruitt attempts to place some blame on Fulmer regarding the shenanigans. Hopefully I’m incorrect and Pruitt is just fighting to limit a potential show cause penalty and receive a settlement from UT.

 

[VOL6479]

Fulmer almost destroyed the program this last time. He said he told Pruitt you don't have to cheat here lmao

 

[SpookyAction]

He was always right about Fulmer.

It was easy to overlook johnny's criticism of Fulmer, until PF was not winning the big games.
He was 29-13 against ranked teams in the 90s.
15-24 in the 2000s