Official Jon Gruden Thread XIV

[Face]

Higdon or Hubbs doesn't know what they are talking about since both are reporting completely different stories.

Well.. Higdon has talked to him, he says.

Hubbs hasn't got a clue

 

[EZE]

I want to restate my earlier post. People like our $$$ boosters are used to winning business deals. They don't get "close" and then walk away. If there really was/is a deal to be had, it will get done. Somebody would call Gruden directly, be the good cop, and tell him let's meet in the middle and close this thing.

And if Hart is a problem, they will can him. They canned Johnny freaking Majors for goodness sakes, so they will remove Hart in a heartbeat if necessary.

But, this comes down to the fundamental issue that carter, Bruin and Leonard Little have all touched on: Does Jon Gruden really and truly want this job? Or, was he playing along for some reason? Because, if he wants the job, he will tell his agent to get reasonable and close the deal.

 

[phowell23]

Well.. Higdon has talked to him, he says.

Hubbs hasn't got a clue

Wonder how Hubbs will spin this one.

 

[Liper]

And it's NOT Gruden?

That's what I was told. But I wouldn't go to press with it just yet

 

[MACGRUDER]

I think the OGs had some good information, but here's what I believed happened.

Something is keeping Gruden from taking the job right now. The best assumption is his commitment to ESPN.

The path Hargis was headed down all but pointed to a confirmed hire. It wasn't supposed to break this soon, and pretty much every "source" that had probably been getting good information got cut off in an attempt to not make this look like a done deal.

As soon as the Hargis article was about to break (and many knew it would - including Tony B's assistant - hence the twitter incident) all of a sudden- the OGs started getting bad news. Did that not scream fishy to anyone else?

Again, this wasn't supposed to break this fast. Hargis was about to knock this thing out of the park with no way to not make it look like a confirmed done deal, the AD finds out, does everything it can to make it look like there was a snag or not going to happen last minute, the diversions and distractions take place, and I highly suspect the OGs sources were somehow involved in this, whether to help slow it down or they, in turn, we're getting told it wasn't happening to make it appear dead/dying as well.

It's a conspiracy theory, I know - but looking at the facts it's the only thing that looks sensible to me right now. Too much contradiction from unnamed sources, too many media leaks trying to point our noses anywhere but Gruden, and the only factual, confirmed leak with a names behind it (Hargis), fits into this narrative I believe to a T.

I may be crazy, but it's been a fun mental exercise putting this together if nothing else.

Throwing this out there again. JG has 1.1 million reasons from ESPN to realistically keep this under wraps until he's ready. After mulling it over for two days, I'm not budging from this stance until another coach is named

 

[Liper]

I want to restate my earlier post. People like our $$$ boosters are used to winning business deals. They don't get "close" and then walk away. If there really was/is a deal to be had, it will get done. Somebody would call Gruden directly, be the good cop, and tell him let's meet in the middle and close this thing.

And if Hart is a problem, they will can him. They canned Johnny freaking Majors for goodness sakes, so they will remove Hart in a heartbeat if necessary.

But, this comes down to the fundamental issue that carter, Bruin and Leonard Little have all touched on: Does Jon Gruden really and truly want this job? Or, was he playing along for some reason? Because, if he wants the job, he will tell his agent to get reasonable and close the deal.

That's why some people still think there's a chance. But what if our team can't agree?

 

[EezyE]

I have about had it with all things UT except the baseball Vols!

I am being told that the deal with Gruden was so close but it has fallen by the wayside!!

How can UT be so stupid and arrogant to let this opportunity go by??? There isn't a college program in the country that would pass on the opp to hire Gruden if they had the resources well every program but UT!!!

This is unreal!!! Gruden is hottest name out there now! He would light up recruiting like a freaking casino! I doubt that Hart is as astute as some on here are saying. And if Hart screwed the deal up I hope he is relieved of his duties ASAP.

I don't think UT as a whole is arrogant but Hart is.

 

[BruinVol]

Well.. Higdon has talked to him, he says.

Hubbs hasn't got a clue

Strong is going to deny everything IMO. Espn reported he interviewed with auburn earlier in the week and he did the sAme. Strong is lying to the media here IMO.

 

[CoachClick]

I have about had it with all things UT except the baseball Vols!

I am being told that the deal with Gruden was so close but it has fallen by the wayside!!

How can UT be so stupid and arrogant to let this opportunity go by??? There isn't a college program in the country that would pass on the opp to hire Gruden if they had the resources well every program but UT!!!

This is unreal!!! Gruden is hottest name out there now! He would light up recruiting like a freaking casino! I doubt that Hart is as astute as some on here are saying. And if Hart screwed the deal up I hope he is relieved of his duties ASAP.

Depends on Hart's hire and his success.

If it fails in the Volnation eyes, and it also comes out that Hart "passed" on Gruden, it will be more than a "relieved of his duties" scenario.

I can guarantee you that.

 

[EZE]

I didn't get the impression the agent was the problem. Never mentioned.

Was it really just the assistants' salaries? Because another poster made it seem like Gruden kept moving the goalposts after his latest demands were met.

 

[CMcEver]

Wonder how Hubbs will spin this one.

Is this still the AD spoonfeeding Knoxville media BS or... I don't know, just strange.

 

[EezyE]

That's why some people still think there's a chance. But what if our team can't agree?

It's time to remove the team member doing the obstruction.

 

[tm3]

Quoting myself for the night crew that missed it this morning.

With the addition of: if Hart really was pissed about the end around by the boosters, why did he go ahead and fire Dooley before Kentucky like, presumably, the booster's wanted? If didn't have his guy, he would have waited until after Kentucky to start the coaching search clock. (And him being super pissed goes against part of his press conference where he talks about this search taking many people, I believe.)

If you take what Slice is saying about the money from the boosters is only for this one hire for the most part, and it hasn't been returned from escrow, I'd say I feel pretty good about our odds.

But I guess I'm just being delusional. :crazy:

You said it better than I did, but we share the delusion

 

[92volalum]

Jason Higdon ‏@Jason_Higdon
I just spoke with Charlie Strong, there was NO interview with Tennessee today folks, zero. He is entertaining OV's in Louisville..


Jason Higdon ‏@Jason_Higdon
I also spoke to Charlie three times yesterday folks...He says there was no interview yesterday or today.....Not sure what else to say.

Im not sold on strong.. strong record at Louisville. 23 n 14 petrino was 41 n 9.. wtf would we want strong when petrino ran circles around him.. I know I've been drinking but please persuade me..:blink:

 

[patrick]

I didn't get the impression the agent was the problem. Never mentioned.

Can we say that Hart was the problem or is that premature?

 

[VolCrash33]

Didn't someone tell us this previous Tuesday that the next few days the media was going to go into a media frenzy and not to believe anything they're saying? Isn't that what's happening right now?

 

[UT PaulVol]

I have about had it with all things UT except the baseball Vols!

I am being told that the deal with Gruden was so close but it has fallen by the wayside!!

How can UT be so stupid and arrogant to let this opportunity go by??? There isn't a college program in the country that would pass on the opp to hire Gruden if they had the resources well every program but UT!!!

This is unreal!!! Gruden is hottest name out there now! He would light up recruiting like a freaking casino! I doubt that Hart is as astute as some on here are saying. And if Hart screwed the deal up I hope he is relieved of his duties ASAP.

Don't let it get to ya man. There's "a lot" of things people do not know... I believe those things will come out once this is all over and everyone will understand. Just stay positive Patrick, good things are ahead for us!

 

[EZE]

That's why some people still think there's a chance. But what if our team can't agree?

Is it everybody against Hart or more of an even split? If the latter, we are screwed no matter what direction we go. A house divided will not stand.

 

[R Cannon]

I am about on the wagon the whole Gruden thing was so he could walk away then they looked liked they tried . And maybe Gruden was in it with them to help us out and unite the fans . We all want the same thing who ever the coach is. But still holding out for Gruden!!!!

 

[volatil]

Now according to reports Strong was never interviewed....WTH is going on?

Hubbs says different

 

[jdogvol]

Now according to reports Strong was never interviewed....WTH is going on?

If he interviewed and was told that it was a formality, or informed that we're "going in a different direction" he would deny interviewing. Someone posted much earlier in one of these threads that somehow "the coach the AD hires was always first on their list; and no coach was ever turned down for the job."

 

[Velo Vol]

Who knows what is really going on anymore?

Not me.

 

[phowell23]

Im not sold on strong.. strong record at Louisville. 23 n 14 petrino was 41 n 9.. wtf would we want strong when petrino ran circles around him.. I know I've been drinking but please persuade me..:blink:

Considering Petrino would probably be as cheap as if not cheaper than Strong too. But didn't someone say all SEC AD's agreed to not hire Petrino?

 

[Liper]

Been on VN for almost 5 years now...I don't post much, but I lurk A LOT. I don't think I have ever run across any of your posts before seeing them in this thread.

Wish I had.

Just wanted to say thanks for sharing your info with us and hanging out on this thread. If you're ever passing through the Cumberland Plateau I'd be happy to buy you a beer and talk Vols football.

Having said that, I don't know that I want to know how close we were...might make it just that much more disappointing.

Just hopped back on the boards after the meltdown Thursday night. I don't get out much these days, but a beer anywhere sounds good right now after this disappointment.

 

[peelwonder]

I'll go on the record and say that used to subscribe to
Rucker....but I don't trust anything he's saying....he's literally just about every Division One coach being at the top of the list......

Fedora, Strong, Stoops, Gundy, Petrino, Need I go on?