Thoughts on Johnny Majors Coments

#1
BeltwayVol

BeltwayVol

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#1
Quote's from an interview with the VOLS former coach, Johnny Majors.

While playing in a charity golf-tournament, JM was interviewed. Following are some of his quotes:

"I come back to visit in Tennessee eight to ten times a year, and this tournament gives me a chance to see a lot of the friends that I care for that I might not get to visit with otherwise," said Majors, who resides in Pittsburgh and serves as a special assistant to Pitt's chancellor and athletic director. "It's really too nice of a day to get caught up in negatives. I'm not looking for a debate


"I have a great affinity for the people of Tennessee; I have no complaints about the way they have treated me,"

"But I know what happened to me and I could validate if I needed. I was undercut when I was being cut on."

"I have lived my dream. I guess I'm way ahead of the game, even though I (experienced) one of the greatest deceptions I would have never anticipated," said Majors, whose only other appearance at UT game came in 2000 when he was honored with other former Vols' lettermen. "We're going to have a reunion of the 1985 team at the Georgia game, and I appreciate Mike Hamilton for that. He has been very kind to me, and I've enjoyed getting to know him."

"I've never seen anyone mess up one of the great traditional programs in the country like the people did at Alabama," Majors said. "The guy that's coaching (UT) now has never gone up against a true Alabama team. They've been short-handed, short-legged and short-armed."

His thoughts on Urban...

"If I were coaching now I'd be spending time down there (watching); he has the best system in the country," Majors said. "I tried to hire him before. He's a quality person."

Ok, now for everyone's thought's on this one...should be interesting.
 
#2
#2
I can understand how he'd be bitter, but for how long? I'm pretty sure the Bama teams from 93, 94, 96, and 99 were pretty good ones. So what's better Johnny, losing to ANY team Bama puts out there or beating when you're supposed to?

That being said, Majors is one of the true UT legends as far as a player. I just think the coaching game passed him by. I look at Penn St. as what could have happened to UT if he had stayed. It was the right time, but was maybe not handled the best way for a man who gave his all for Tennessee football.
 
#5
#5
well this is what happens when you live in tennessee to long, you never learn when to shut up.
 
#6
#6
Let's face it...legend or no legend...if you start to lose games the way his teams did, you will be replaced.

Unless your name is Joe Pa anyway :question:
 
#7
#7
I try and admire the man as the Tn legend he is.
He makes it very difficult, with most of his comments. It'll be GREAT to see him and the 85 team in Neyland.
Though "being ahead of the game" isnt what put him in the unfortunate position, he was in.
 
#8
#8
Majors was a great player and an average coach. He needs to get over all of this before he loses all credibility. I don't care if he's right or wrong about getting screwed out of a coaching postition. Is there one poster on this board who can honestly say they would rather have Majors over Fulmer?
 
#10
#10
I've got to agree . . . All of you younger guys that get frustrated with playcalling have no idea what "Johnny-ball" was like.

I give Majors credit for producing quality teams toward the end, but I used to cringe watching him try and lay on a lead all the time.
 
#11
#11
I think Majors is a Tenn. Legend. When he was coach I always felt Tenn. had a chance and he wouldn't be out coached. But when he left, It was time for him to leave. I don't care what anyone says, Fulmer is a Majors' Disciple(you can see it is game prep and game calling).

GO VOLS!!!
 
#12
#12
Fulmer may be a conservative disciple but he is nowhere close to the level of conservatism that Johnny was, he would get a 3 pt lead in the 1st qtr and try to run out the clock, as said before great legend,slightly above average coach.
 
#13
#13
I remember my first true taste of live Johnny Ball in 1992. It was against Alabama. I'm pretty sure "what the F" came out of my mouth a number of times.

Penn State football is being run like our government. If anyone could please explain why Jo Pa still runs up and down the sideline it would be greatly appreciated. Oh wait, that is what America is about. The one and only example that comes to mind and we make fun of it. They owe it to him after everything he did? My dad was forced to retire after 30+ great years at his company without a scar on his record. Nothing but praise. He wasn't ready to stop quite yet, everyone loved him in the office, and the clients he built are relationships he still holds without the job. He still has two more kids to put through college. I know, cry me a river. Before Johnny opens his mouth again he should take a look at his record at Pitt.
3-8, 3-8, 2-9, 4-7. At least my dad would have gone 10-2.
 
#14
#14
His departure was handled the wrong way , no doubt, but he brought alot of it on himself, build a bridge John and get over it!
 
#15
#15
i think he is right on about Meyer.


we are gonna have a tough ballgame on our hands...rather u guys want to admit it or not.

could get blown out of the swamp.
 
#16
#16
My Johnny Ball moment was the 1990 Alabama game. The week before we had worn out Florida and Steve Spurrier 45-3. We went out against a 3 loss Alabama team and managed 175 yards of total offense and scored 6 points. We lost in the last minute when our 50 yard FG attempt to win the game was blocked and squirted 30 yards backwards across the old astroturf - setting up a 50 yard Bammer FG to win 9-6. :yuck:

Easily the worst I have ever felt walking out of Neyland Stadium.
 
#18
#18
Sorry Jr. Could have been worse though . . . I could have brought up 1988. :yuck:
 
#19
#19
geez man , how about bamboo under my nails, or the chinese water torture
 
#21
#21
Originally posted by checkerboard_charly@Jul 21, 2005 8:49 PM
i think he is right on about Meyer.
we are gonna have a tough ballgame on our hands...rather u guys want to admit it or not.

could get blown out of the swamp.
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Charly, good job, unlike others here, you face that UF will be tough, instead of turning away from reality and saying well blow them out no problem, face it guys, its gonna be a good game, and UF very well could win ( i expect them too)..... nice post.
 
#22
#22
screw u croc..... lol...only j/k.

could be game of the year. i expect a very loud and crazy crowd down there.

this game just really really worries me man.
 
#23
#23
What Johnny said about being backstabbed and deceived is true.

What he said about Alabama is true as well. Lets face it folks, the teams Bama has fielded since going on probation in 94 are not the same type teams that the Bear and Stallings fielded. Of course, it's become quite obvious that they were cheating to achieve those results, so it's kind of a catch 22 when trying to say which situation is better: Losing to the best team money can buy, or dominating a team that's been gutted by probation and bad recruiting as a result of the probation.

I prefer to beat the Tide, regardless of the situation, but there have been no Vol victories over teams like the Bear had in the 70s and 80s, that's just a very clear-cut, no arguments fact.

However; and I say this with respect and love, as I have said it to his face and will again the next time I see him, John needs to let the past go. He was done very dirty. People who he mentored worked behind his back, while he was sick, to wrest his job from him.

Johnny Majors is a good man. It's a shame that people feel the need to talk about his drinking in the fashion that they do. To be honest, John couldn't hold a candle to what the school's all-time great hero could guzzle. So, if you want to talk about drinking, I'd say that's a foolish thing to do. If you think he's an alcoholic, you are just showing how little you know the man, or even about the man.

He's brought a lot of the bad sentiment on himself, but I do know that there's not a man or woman on this board who would be so congenial if they were done exactly the same way Johnny was.

Johnny was made promises by the administration that they absolutely did not keep. He was lied to about his contract and he was jobbed by his subordinates.

As for his record, some of you might want to keep in mind that the year he was fired, he only lost 3 games. So if you think he was fired because of his record you're just wrong. He was fired because of personalities and that's it in a nutshell. Please, don't try to give Phil all the credit for being 3/0. That was John's team. He had drilled them in the Spring and Fall's two-a-days. Some of the losses could be attributed to his too-soon return, but what would you have done if you knew the foundation to your house was being stolen brick by brick while you were recuperating?

You can argue the merits of his quick return to the field after surgery, but he had the facts that he was being eased out because of enemies he made as a result of remarks that shone light on the lies that were made to him about his contract. Instead of keeping their word, they were angered because he made public statements that made them look bad. But he spoke the truth. It's a truth that I wish he had chosen to handle in a different way.

Before you reply to this with the usual knee-jerk reactions, please read what I've said carefully. I don't think John made every move right. But I do know he is and was honest. I also know others involved in the matter were not. Think about that and try to put yourself in those shoes.

 
#25
#25
Oldvol, I do respect your opinion but it is the same reason some in the national media will always have a bias against UT. For instance, Beano Cook will never speak highly of UT for the very reasons you described in your post.

However, you know as well as anyone here that his coaching style was wearing thin in Knoxville. He played not to lose and that didn't work anymore. You still see Johnny's influence on play-calling from Fulmer every now and then and it still drives people crazy. I'm amazed at how much I still hear the phrase "Johnny-ball" tossed around by fans.

Also, don't tell me that every year Bama beat UT that they were the cream of the crop. Johnny was afraid of Bama. He got beat by some mediocre teams too. His problem was that he didn't win the ones he was supposed to win. You can say Bama is weak now and that's why there has been some success as of late. True, but we are winning the ones we're supposed to win. How many SEC titles did we lose out on because of a loss the the Tide? I, for one, am happy that no longer occurs. You talk about Bear and Stallings but Bill Curry also never lost to UT while at Bama (3-0).

I realize that you have seen more UT football than I and that is why I respect your opinion. However, my family have been UT fans since the late 40's and they are who helped me form my opinion. In sports teams there is always the set-up coach and the coach that takes a team over the top to the championship. I believe Fulmer took us to the place UT football deserved to be.
 
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