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

[OrangeInKy]

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

Woof

 

[Hacksaw]

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

PF got too comfortable in the job. Once he reached the highest level of success, he thought he was untouchable. When he began to take offense to press conference questions about his failures, I knew it was time for him to go.

 

[ptcarter]

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!

This...
Hey I liked them both.

I was a student in the Majors era and worked at Gibbs waiting tables. CJM was always friendly and even sat down and chatted with me. And a couple of the Civil Engineering students were on the team. I ran into one at a game where former lettermen went on the field to be recognized. Spotted him and watched where he went after the ceremony and went of and chatted with him. Of course he liked Majors better. The Majors players were loyal and seemed to not be happy with Fulmer, however you got to hand it to Fulmer... Not only did he beat the hell out of Alabama often, he also exposed the Memphis pipeline to Tuscaloosa that was ripe with recruiting issues, and for that, the Bama fans resented him for it and even had a subpoena ready for him in Birmingham SEC media days. It's sweet to watch Bama fans squirm and get upset like that, and for that (living in Alabama) I loved the angst he caused.

Was passing through Lynchburg the other day and stopped by and saw ol' Johnny....

 

[JohnWardForever]

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.

Actually no, John Ward retired after the 98 Championship. Majors was long gone.

 

[PandamoniumReigns]

Actually no, John Ward retired after the 98 Championship. Majors was long gone.

But Ward called all of Majors games. That was my point.

 

[knox73]

Seems crazy now that from 1977 - 2009, Tennessee had 2 head football coaches - both whom were great players/alumni from the university. Fulmer was left a loaded program but when he won the NC - there were no Majors-recruited players on that squad. Majors was a master program builder and he did it successfully 3 times. Tennessee was his most difficult challenge. If Bob Woodruff had hired Majors in 1970 rather than Bill Battle - the Vols would never have missed a beat with Johnny following Doug Dickey but Battle drove the program into the ground with pathetic recruiting. I like both Johnny and Phil along with Cutcliffe and Chavis and the staffs that brought the Vols back to prominence. I thought the ETSU interview was quite interesting as it seems Johnny was oblivious to being filmed and he aired out stuff like it was a private conversation. This roast of Johnny at a civic club is also quite entertaining:

 

[CardsNVols]

Both Majors and Fulmer are TN treasures. Sucks how there's still so much contempt/animosity between the supposed "factions" of loyalists to either one. They each had their personal and professional flaws, but TN football would not be the name it is today without either one. Other than Neyland and maybe Dickey, no other TN coach has left as notable a mark on the university as those two.

 

[onevol74]

Both Majors and Fulmer are TN treasures. Sucks how there's still so much contempt/animosity between the supposed "factions" of loyalists to either one. They each had their personal and professional flaws, but TN football would not be the name it is today without either one. Other than Neyland and maybe Dickey, no other TN coach has left as notable a mark on the university as those two.

I guess you never met Zora Clevinger.

 

[Savannahbayvol]

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.

You lost me on that one Greg. Majors worked behind the scenes?

 

[NighthawkVol]

You lost me on that one Greg. Majors worked behind the scenes?

No. That's my point. Fulmer did that, Majors did not. They are not the same.

 

[Volfan1000]

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.

I was a student at East Tennessee State University in 1987 when Les Robinson was the men's head basketball coach and they lost to Oklahoma in a close game that year in the NCAA Tournament.

 

[knox73]

Majors and Cutcliffe:

Johnny Majors Visits Duke - Duke University

 

[Savannahbayvol]

No. That's my point. Fulmer did that, Majors did not. They are not the same.

Understand

 

[vollygirl]

I hope the closeness he talks about around the 28 minute mark was passed down to the next generations. Losing Tessa like they did had to be horrible.

 

[Firebirdparts]

Right around the 20 minute mark he says something like "I guarantee you right now he (Fulmer) is trying to get that AD's job". So he was a bit early with that statement, but plenty right.