Ah, another wall of pretentious prose to parse. Whee.
I pulled up your ancient turd about Cowher/Kiffin/Steele by going up to search, typing in your screen name, and "cowher." Boom, it came right up. If you call that "research," then I hate to imagine what your academic career was like.
I'm not sure what kind of imaginary line you're trying to draw with this stuff about "differentiating the information in the respective threads." You called your Nov 2008 thread "Riddle solved -- new coach(es) revealed." You were, as you've also been in this thread, hazy about whether this was a hypothesis or an actual prediction, but it was so laughable that it didn't matter. Anyone who thought it even a remote possibility that Cowher and Kiffin and Kevin Steele were all three coming to UT was clearly not somebody who ever needed to be listened to about UT sports.
While this current thread offers none of the same hilarity that Cowher To Tennessee did, you're still straddling the same line between hypothesis and actual prediction. "Purely hypothetical," you said in your OP -- but as the thread has gone on, you've gotten more and more strident about Pearl's demise being a done deal, coming immediately after the tournament, etc. Did you get more information, or was just that Larry and Hat posted in the thread indicating that they think it's a done deal? You said to Larry that you' heard it was somebody's job to turn down, which Larry said was news to him -- did the guy who thought Cowher might be coming two years ago somehow get better sources than Larry in the interim?
You want credibility? Earn it. Who's the next coach? When's it happening?
I went to a little no-name school you've never heard of. I'm certain that it pales in comparison to yours, as this debate has thus far shown.
Verce - I'll just ask this, and hopefully save us some time - do you really think that the Cowher thing was my attempt to pass along actual information, insider or otherwise? You might have also noticed that I never claimed any inside information in the Cowher thread, whatsoever (even when asked), if you need another indication of its intent. But, I am willing to concede the point that you either can't or won't do so.
As to this incident, all I can say is that I know what I know. I trust those who have told me, and would not have asserted otherwise, if I did not believe it to be both trustworthy and true. More information has been told to me since posting it, and which has only further increased my confidence as to what will occur. Undoubtedly, and as you would expect, this has been reflected in my subsequent posts.
However (and just as I have told several who have PM'd me about this) - I can easily admit that both Hat and LWS have introduced completely new things in the course of this thread that I had either not previously heard, or at least with enough clarity / confidence to post. In fact, if you'll look at my posts in this thread, I've used those guys to verify things I've heard - "chest-thumping" this does not seem to imply. But again, if you believe that such is the case, I concede the point.
I am uncertain as to how much credibility one would seek to earn via a message board, and am uncertain how valuable it would be, if provided. The day I think otherwise, you'll be the first to know, as I will want to use you as a reference on my application to Hobby Lobby (legacy hire?). I put the information out there for those who might wish to read it, and to welcome comments - constructive and critical ones, alike. I like the dialogue, but most enjoy the back and forth of a debate, and the more hotly and tightly contested, the better. But neither you nor anyone else should feel compelled to believe, agree or even read anything I say. I won't take it personally, either way. But if you do, feel free to comment as much or as little as you'd like - I don't take that personally, either.
I hope this answers your question, and addresses your originally intended argument.
