Official Jon Gruden Thread XLIII

[lifeVol]

Their ROI is different. Its not a form of monetary value back to them. Think of it this way. If you had an extra 5 million every year to donate, you would pick UT because its your alma mater and you enjoy being with your friends on saturdays and buying into the product of the university. You may get a building in your name or sign, or something that is a pat on your back. But, lets say that Neyland is half full and your friends (who don't donate as much as you) decided to not come around anymore and save their money. So, do you invest or give money to something that is no longer perceived as value or entertainment? Or do you donate elsewhere something else with a real return?

OK, this might get deep, and I admire and appreciate your arguments, I don't have a building named after me but worked for a guy who did, and understand (somewhat) that mindset and philosophy. There is a difference between being a philanthropist and just a power hungry bigwig who wants to flaunt their mettle. Being that as it may, having a building named after you, although self soothing as that probably is, doesn't harm anyone, except maybe the one who only offered next to the high bid for the name. But ramrodding hundreds of thousands of people just for the sake of saying you can does not seem like something you would like to be remembered for, regardless of the estate your will doles out when the time comes.

 

[KnoxLandcruiser]

Currie can't survive this, we talk about how a coach has to go when they lose the team. Currie has lost the fan base!

Yes, caning him will set the program back a few MORE years but he and Davenport have to be shown the door.

Would love to see him caned, roof of the sunsphere, high noon...then canned.

 

[NorCalVol67]

Yesterday aside, the past 2 months have been some of the most fun I’ve had in a long time even though the season sucked. When the OGs reunited, information began circulating, Beav and Bubba showed up, Hawk, SFD, and others piecing together the puzzle, Preacherwebb learning gifs, Doyle’s meter and who could forget GV’s updates... man, it was fun. I hate that it all ended like this but I hope this thread stays open if for nothing else to keep in touch. I don’t know how all this ends but I gotta believe that we can turn this thing around. I’m still here either way. Hope y’all are as well.

Well said.

 

[Ohio_Vol]

I’m so dam mad I’m missing deer season and I took the whole week off.

I told the wife I’m about ready to make the 567.2 mile drive from my garage to gate 21 and join the fight. Wife advised she wouldn’t bail me outta jail.

10:02 and he’s still employed.

 

[Jake]

He is a puppet. Nothing more. And, in that role, he is doing a fantastic job.

It is the people pulling the strings that we need to focus on. Think about it. This is at least the third straight coaching search at UT that they have screwed up royally (with three different ADs). The AD changes, but the results remain the same.

He’s Kermit the Frog...no doubt.

 

[CoachClick]

Do I have to drive to Knoxville to personally escort THE RAT out of town?

What the HELL is going on down there?

FIRE THE A$$ already!

 

[Vol-in-Bham]

Something has to happen between now and noon (Knoxville QB Club w/Currie as speaker). Even saying he is rescheduling... something... the silence is unbelievable

 

[VolFan32]

Currie should have some pride here and step down. He's already seen as nothing more than a Haslam puppet who can't make decisions on his own.

Step down, at least that way you'll have some respect left.

 

[UT PaulVol]

Yesterday aside, the past 2 months have been some of the most fun I’ve had in a long time even though the season sucked. When the OGs reunited, information began circulating, Beav and Bubba showed up, Hawk, SFD, and others piecing together the puzzle, Preacherwebb learning gifs, Doyle’s meter and who could forget GV’s updates... man, it was fun. I hate that it all ended like this but I hope this thread stays open if for nothing else to keep in touch. I don’t know how all this ends but I gotta believe that we can turn this thing around. I’m still here either way. Hope y’all are as well.

Very well said. I for one, will be here. Always lurking lol

 

[Remy]

Nothing is real. The matrix is broken.

It's sort of comical as just like in the film you have Grudenites this morning wanting to be placed back in to the Matrix. The idea all the contracts and signings and meetings and agreements with Gruden were really really really real. LOL

 

[Coastypop]

My guess, based on info here, at what happened:

A group of boosters wanted Joh Gruden as coach. The Haslems, Currie and Davenport feigned support of the initiative. The booster group proceed to gauge Gruden's interest and what it would take to get him to UT. They came to general agreement over three weeks ago and even celebrated the agreement on Wednesday in Dunwoody, GA two weeks ago. While legal matters were being worked out, the Haslems, Currie and Davenport were pursuing their own agenda to maintain complete control of UT athletics. The Haslems, thinking they alone know what is best for UT, were enamored with Schiano when he previously interviewed for the Browns coaching job(this was before the release of the previously sealed testimony of the Sandusky case implicating Schiano, thus the lack of due diligence on Schiano, because they had already vetted him). They thought he was a better fit for UT than Gruden. They knew they couldn't sell Schiano to the other boosters, so they kept Currie and Davenport on a short leash and thought they could have the deal done before the other boosters could do anything about it. Once announced, the other boosters would be obliged to support their new coach. It would have worked except a member of the AD staff leaked the deal to other boosters and they mobilized the support of the UT BOT and legislators.

I see zero reason to discount this theory and would agree with it 100%, however it would mean that those who spearheaded this effort in 2012 came back for a second try in 2017 and have now failed to be successful two time in a row.

And in spite of what Beaver posted "These people don't miss" they now are owners of an 0-2 record. If I were a major booster any and possibly all influence they once held with me would now be gone.

 

[revjayp]

Booger McFarland needs to feel the wrath the way herbstreit did yesterday.

 

[2EastTnVols]

Eric Ainge said he talked with Peyton and Fulmer personally, and that neither one was involved at all.
That's good enough for me.

That is the best news I've heard. I really didn't think they would've been okay with this and I'm mad it was said they were.

 

[windrider]

Guys & Gals - I copied and pasted this from another thread and I know its not about Gruden, but in case some of us might miss it I think this says it best about Schiano and also about our current staff.

Message to the Media --- If You're Reading
It angers me watching the national sports media defend Greg Schiano today and try to smear the brave Tennesseeans who stood up against his hire to one of the most prominent positions in the entire state as 'dumb hillbillies.' It's a clear reminder why sexual abuse continues to happen.


Let's review the facts here:

Schiano may have been aware of Sanduky's crimes. Mike McQueary named Schiano as someone who had witnessed Jerry Sandusky's actions in the Sandusky child molestation trial. This information became public knowledge in 2016, so this is fairly recent, and a lot of people still don't know about it. It was not public knowledge at the time Schiano was hired at Ohio State.

Schiano's denial is not "proof" of innocence. Schiano denied knowledge, as did former Penn State assistant Bradley. The sports media and coaching cabal says "oh well ... Schiano is cleared." Like seriously. Sworn testimony in a court of law from a guy who had everything to lose by telling the truth is just summarily dismissed b/c football coaches (who are as bad as cops about protecting "their own") say "oh ... he's a good guy."

Schiano's "high integrity" story refuted by Tampa Bay. The problem is further exacerbated because the "Schiano is a high character guy" is directly refuted by his time in Tampa Bay, where he known as an abusive autocrat who actually spied on his players, lied constantly, rigged team captain votes, and pretty much alienated everyone within the program. Ask the guys who played under Schiano at Tampa Bay about his "high integrity." At least one player compared playing under Schiano to being in Communist Cuba. Do you think a guy like that would stand up against sexual abuse? Or do you think a petty autocrat who tries to control information might try to hide information about sexual abuse? Several NFL insiders have also said Schiano is low character / low class as it gets and hiring him would be a disaster for any program. He's even been in a heated disputes with players (including former Vol Peyton Manning) over one of his tactics which involves trying to take out the knees of unprotected players at the end of games during the "kneel-down" play. During his time in the NFL, he showed the exact opposite of integrity.

UT Message Boards Did More Through Due Diligence than Athletic Department. Tennessee Volunteer fans did more thorough due diligence on Schiano than the Tennessee Athletic Department and several other schools. The crazy thing is most of this information is readily available via Google. But phone calls to Bill Belichick and Urban Meyer and a couple of other coaches apparently nullifies any accusations ever leveled against him. Nevermind that this same "vetting process" would've said Jerry Sandusky was A-OK. The UT Vols message board and Twitter communities are very active. There's been a lot of discussion about potential coaching candidates. No candidate attracted as near universal disgust as Schiano did. This is primarily because his questionable integrity became obvious in the heated message board discussions where everyone was forced to deal with his long track record of questionable ethics. People are not willing to overlook the statement by Mike McQueary (who is viewed by the public as a much more honest and reliable witness) than Schiano (who has a long record of lying and manipulating and less than stellar integrity.)

"Guilt" is a standard for a court of law; not for major high-profile positions. We'll never know the precise facts regarding Schiano's knowledge of Sandusky's crimes, but the idea that you just make a man this with long of a track record of ethical issues the face of one of the nation's largest public universities, hand him a $5 million salary, and put him in charge of hundreds of people (including many young impressionable 18 - 23 year old men) just because Bill Belichick says "he's OK" is ludicrous. "Guilt beyond a reasonable doubt" is not the standard. "Proven integrity" should be the standard for a high-profile public position. That standard is nowhere close to being met by Schiano. Obviously, no one is perfect and many football coaches have flawed records, but there are much larger question marks about Schiano than any other candidate mentioned. You can't hire a guy simply with questionable integrity simply because his integrity hasn't been debunked in a criminal trial in a court of law.

Tennessee fans were right. I'm proud of the Tennessee fans that shut this down. We were 100% in the right. You don't make this guy one of the most powerful persons in the state of Tennessee and the face of the flagship university when you have major questions about whether he'd stand up to sexual abuse. The Art Briles scandal at Baylor happened just a few years ago, and the media is seriously trying to say we have no legitimate concerns? The hire may have very well destroyed the entire program. Contrary to the media's biased reporting, this was not a "football thing." Many of us UT fans would've been disappointed with a mediocre hire, but we still would've supported the team.

Schiano was the line in the sand. He was a mediocre hire whose integrity was very much at question. It honestly would bring tears to my eyes to know that a man who may have protected Jerry Sandusky would be wearing Tennessee orange on the sidelines and speaking as the voice of the community. A poor coach is one thing; this was quite another.


The national sports media should be ashamed for trying to demonize Tennessseans for standing up against sexual abuse. With all the stuff that has come out against Harvey Weinstein, Bill Cosby, Roy Moore, John Conyers, etc, etc, etc, you'd think a small group of Tennesseans who took a hard-line against sexual abuse would be hailed as heroes. Instead, we're being treated like 'dumb hillbillies' who 'think they deserve too much.' And then the media wonders how sexual abuse continues to happen. The allegations against Schiano have not been proven in a court of law, but that doesn't mean we should rush out and hire the guy just because Urban Meyer and Bill Belichick vouch for him. These are major question marks for a person leading young men and Schiano does not met the standards of integrity that should be expected.
Last edited by DiderotsGhost; Today at 09:05 AM..

 

[RagingOrange]

So he is admitting here publicly he turned down the Tennessee offer, not the other way around.... That means UT DOES NOT owe him any money if true

Starting to sound very scripted. If I was a power booster or group and wanted to eliminate the wrench in the works, there would be an easy way and a hard way. I think we saw the hard way yesterday.

Noone has to believe that. Jmo/imo/tifwiw

 

[VolFan32]

I see zero reason to discount this theory and would agree with it 100%, however it would mean that those who spearheaded this effort in 2012 came back for a second try in 2017 and have now failed to be successful two time in a row.

And in spite of what Beaver posted "These people don't miss" they now are owners of an 0-2 record. If I were a major booster any and possibly all influence they once held with me would now be gone.

They might not be 0-2 if their plan was to get rid of Currie in all of this.

 

[jasonvol18]

Retaining Hoke for a full season is probably our best option right now

Absolutely not.

 

[ATPVol]

Sure it has been posted but for those just waking this morning and coming here..This is well written..

Greg Schiano: How Tennessee protest shapes coaching search | SI.com

Fantastic article.

 

[SHOWOFF]

OK, this might get deep, and I admire and appreciate your arguments, I don't have a building named after me but worked for a guy who did, and understand (somewhat) that mindset and philosophy. There is a difference between being a philanthropist and just a power hungry bigwig who wants to flaunt their mettle. Being that as it may, having a building named after you, although self soothing as that probably is, doesn't harm anyone, except maybe the one who only offered next to the high bid for the name. But ramrodding hundreds of thousands of people just for the sake of saying you can does not seem like something you would like to be remembered for, regardless of the estate your will doles out when the time comes.

I respect your opinion and thought. I was just stating on how a group of us feel and thinking of a group when donating. That's all. We are not a super booster, but our group is noticed, that's for sure. That is the collective thinking of our group. When its no longer fun or seemed of value, take it elsewhere. That's all I was getting at.

 

[Sparkyvol10]

I’m in the belief that the “insiders” came with the info they where given. They came with the info to a fan base of a team they love. If it’s not obvious to people after yesterday that tons of people where given wrong info. You can not fault someone for getting bad info. 99.9 percent where here to help and encourage Vol Nation. Go Vols!!

 

[Volontario]

It's sort of comical as just like in the film you have Grudenites this morning wanting to be placed back in to the Matrix. The idea all the contracts and signings and meetings and agreements with Gruden were really really really real. LOL

What is your goal with these posts?

 

[wildorange]

I don't think they are scrambling, I honestly don't think they care. Haslam obviously doesn't give a **** other than what her personally wants and Currie is just doing what his master is telling him to do. I don't think Currie gets fired and I don't think we make a hire for a couple of weeks and it will be some other clown that has no business coaching.

If they let Currie continue there will not be many fans left at this point. No way

 

[Christian Lowe]

Dan Le Batard railing us right now too

 

[aaronvol]

They might not be 0-2 if their plan was to get rid of Currie in all of this.

I tend to agree. All of VN's first response was, "Get rid of Currie, bring in Blackburn." Someone created a storm.

 

[SHOWOFF]

They might not be 0-2 if their plan was to get rid of Currie in all of this.

I have believed this from Day 1. No one on the "other side" wanted Currie. No one. It was always Balckburn. Will be interesting to see how this plays out. I don't think well for UT or Currie. One will budge.