Official Jon Gruden Thread XV

[cutnitclose]

Then go ahead and hire Chaney.....like most of us, we posters have all the power and money at UT.

I must admit I do not get to sit in the box seats with Peyton and Haslam..

Hell I do not even own a hand made Cherry desk...:hi:

 

[Stevorino]

You make a valid point. I should have not said that in regards to switching allegiences. They don't care about me that's true, and since they are 1000 miles away, there is little chance of me supporting them either. They beat Bama this year, which is is something I don't see us doing anytime soon without a BIG hire.....and I don't just mean Gruden.

Strong is small time thinking, which seems to be the mold we are stuck in, and I'm tired of it. I still don't believe it, but if it happens to come to fruition I believe it signals a continuation of mediocrity. Nobody here can seriously say Charlie Strong is the type of coach to go head to head with Nick Saban and have us on equal footing with Bama.

I unreservedly apologize for what I said, it was bush league. I love the Vols, but despise our leadership right now from top to bottom. I'm not alone in this.....many active letterman of various sports agree. It's a mess.

I've backtracked and apologized now, so all of you gloating trolls feel free to flame away. I'm mispoke, and am broad enough between the shoulders to take my lumps.

When this thing breaks the other way on you, be man enough to take what gets dished back out.

This isn't over yet.

Not sure if he just predicted some losses w/ Strong or forecasting a Grude announcement in the sexiest, full-grude of ways

 

[Vol-in-Bham]

Fact: Hart fired Dooley before Kentucky game. If we didn't have our guy, why not trot him out against KY while you continue your search? Yea fans would be mad, but it doesn't really matter because you're not going to a bowl either way.

Fact: We have $18 million back from no longer donating to University. This mysteriously happens a few days after firing Dooley. Do you need $18 million to hire anyone else?

Fact: Neither UT nor Gruden have officially squashed the rumor. One of the two had the perfect opportunity to do so. The other one either has the worst PR department in the entire NCAA by not squashing it, or knows something is up and has been told not to talk.

Fact: Hart has been spotted at sporting events like Lady Vols Soccer, Men's Basketball, etc... instead of doing his most important job, the hire that drives the Athletic Department? Illogical.

There are only two logical conclusions:

1. We have Gruden.

2. We had Gruden, screwed the pooch, and are now thusly screwed by the most incompetent AD in D1 football.

There is no gray area. You either make the biggest hire or you settle and get out classed by Arkansas who knew they had an opening for 9 months.

I believe #1 for the above reasons. I don't believe Hart sits back and relaxes for a week and a half after firing Dooley without 100% knowing he has his guy. I don't believe UTAD PR would let the Grumors get to this point -- you all have seen how divisive this potential hire is going to be -- without shutting them down if it wasn't a possibility. I don't believe a veteran reporter and his sports editor would be allowed to run a front page massive article on us verbally offering Gruden. I don't believe Gruden's awkward quasi-denial was an out right "thanks but no thanks". I don't believe Gruden doesn't have the class to politely and publicly take his name out of the running. I don't believe the local media has been so lost without good reason. I don't believe we didn't use a search firm without good reason.

All of this could be wrong in which case I seriously question the intelligence of those running our program.

I don't have season tickets to give up, but I was ready to sign up today if Gruden was announced. I think anyone questioning those who would choose to stop monetarily supporting the Vols is just as blind a sheep as the folks they are pointing the finger at.

Saban demands excellence from his players. Tony Dungy, in a different way (if you've read his books), demanded excellence from his players.

I, and those like me, demand excellence. And when it appears you have settled I choose not to spend my dollars supporting your lack of backbone.

My two cents. Hoping that what Boomer said was correct -- an almost hire, then the good news comes.

Oh, and I'll just leave these here:
Rich Rodriguez turns down offer from Alabama - USATODAY.com
Tide Hires Rich Rodriguez » OTB Sports
Melick: Wonder if Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez regrets change of mind? | al.com

 

[Insunseri]

How did I waver? I responded, more emotionally than rationally earlier. And I posted to fix some ill advised statements.

My last sentence sums up my belief though. My info, though limited since last week, has not changed.

It's still not over until Strong or some other lackluster hire is walked to the podium.

Truth

 

[Sgt_Nick_Fury]

More like a bloop single but since so many folks are completely willing to settle for the girl with a "great personality" rather than take a chance with the smokin' hot centerfold woman we'll have to deal with a divided fanbase and half empty Neyland for the time being.

I don't like that comparison, centerfold types are almost always train wrecks... and no coach has a better personality then GRUDEN!!!!

 

[GmanTN]

What coach in the country would upstage Saban?

Apparently none on that lame ass list of Dave Hart

 

[iterator]

This is the "puke" phase. Stay the course.

 

[tastycar]

It just hit me...what is worse...hiring a lackluster, lower-tier coach like Strong or getting rejected by a lackluster, lower-tier coach like Strong......my head hurts

 

[EZE]

Nice to see that Alabama is still spending what it takes to stay on top.

 

[blued125]

C'mon OV said "!", then "!!" earlier, calm down.

Who is OV and why does !! matter. Not being an a$$, just curious.

 

[Vol-in-Bham]

I must admit I do not get to sit in the box seats with Peyton and Haslam..

Hell I do not even own a hand made Cherry desk...:hi:

Hmm... how many degrees do you have then?

 

[Farmervol74]

But I thought the economy was in a dump and people don't have jobs and Romney was going to lead us to the promised land?

1. It is
2.they don't
3. Romney better than O but still not conservative enough
4. The land of bankrupt and socialism is the road we are on

If you happy about any of the above you are one mislead individual Just saying

 

[Stevorino]

Truth

Full Grude

 

[LotteryPick]

Louisville dosent belong in the Sugar Bowl ..They backed in due to winning their pathetic conference ...UCONN ring a bell ? How about Syracuse ? Strong = Loser in SEC

Hmm, what's his record in the SEC?

 

[DownTheField]

It seems like Dave Hart has now joined the thread. Hey Dave!

Unfortunately, Hart couldn't care less about what we think. He's busy finalizing his Miami trip... sharing a box with Mal.

 

[VolunteerHillbilly]

I do not like Strong AT ALL but for you to say he is worse than Dooley...I have no words for this. Do you actually watch football? Did you get lost going to the Call of Duty forum or something.........

I have to agree with you on this one although it's difficult to concede anything with all the "strangers" jumping in this thread and attacking posters.

 

[VOLARMY]

Strong is a much better coach then Dooley... not a remotely fair or educated statement.

Tell me how it is then oh wise one ... How is Strong better ? I guess that impressive win over the mighty UCONN should convince me ...Oh Wait ...He lost that game

 

[Insunseri]

1. It is
2.they don't
3. Romney better than O but still not conservative enough
4. The land of bankrupt and socialism is the road we are on

If you happy about any of the above you are one mislead individual Just saying

also God's not real...you forgot that.

 

[Orange Blazer]

How did I waver? I responded, more emotionally than rationally earlier. And I posted to fix some ill advised statements.

My last sentence sums up my belief though. My info, though limited since last week, has not changed.

It's still not over until Strong or some other lackluster hire is walked to the podium.

.

 

[LotteryPick]

Apparently none on that lame ass list of Dave Hart

*None in college football

 

[shaggymoe]

Friends there is a reason you get the whole nation to look your way.So is he trying to look clueless. Or is planning to be the savior

 

[cutnitclose]

Why won't some of you give him a chance? Maybe he's not the hack you think he is? Maybe he didn't have the resources at Louisville that he needed. Maybe he didn't have the support from the right people. Any number of possibilities could be why he wasn't as successful at Louisville as some of you think he should have been. Could be he's just a bad coach. I trust that Dave Hart and UT exhausted every resource available to them to hire the best coach possible and this was the guy they settled.

Above all else, above records or rankings or anything, he gets his players to play hard. Combine the talent that the SEC naturally attracts with 100% effort and you will win games. That was Dooley's biggest problem, he couldn't get enough out of his players to win. Based on what I saw of Louisville and the way his defenses played at USC and Florida, Strong will motivate players give maximum effort.

This is CDD 2.0... Not bashing...Just saying....:hi:

 

[G8rh8r]

Here's my question...if we're at the point of Strong turning down our "offer", then what could possibly lead us to believe that this road will end at Gruden? I mean, if it's true we're actually offering other coaches, then we've moved on right? Or is it just hearsay that we've actually "offered" anyone anything?

I want to believe that Gruden is still a possibility, but my hope is dwindling. I hope that the OGs have been right all along. If it is Strong, I'll support him 100%. Either way, it still is and always will be great to be a Tennessee Vol.

Gruden wants a challenge. So does/did Saban.

 

[jos3ywales]

espn3

ty

 

[Elvis68Vol]

Strong is a much better coach then Dooley... not a remotely fair or educated statement.

Even I agree with that.

I still know we can do much better.

We are dumping a morbidly obese chick for a fat one if we hire Strong