Why is Cheek so reviled/hated by fans?

[WhitewaterVol]

I have a family member currently attending UTK that is a good student and she wants to be a phys ed teacher and was told no program is available at UTK at this time. Maybe she was told wrong?

The point I was trying to make is these programs are offered as pre-packaged areas of study at other SEC schools. At most of the rest of the SEC you can major in elementary education, physical education, criminal justice, etc. Combine the lack of these "basic" (some would say "easy") programs with the stepped requirements for degree progress that UT has above and beyond the NCAA and SEC requirements and it is harder to keep an athlete eligible at UTK than at some of our peer SEC schools.

That is part of the competitive disadvantage that Hart directly addressed in the press conference when he announced Dooley's dismissal. Hart knew that the coaches he would try to hire know about our current competitive disadvantage and that he had to address it directly.

 

[Ashevillevol]

Actually both are still available. Phys. Ed is in the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences and has basically been relabeled per state rules. What you do is minor in education (be it elementary/middle/high school) and major in a subject. UT advises and uses specialized plans for those who want to teach a specific subject that will meet state licensure req's as far as a degree goes but all standard state teacher licensure for a subject whether it's PE or pre-calc requires an education minor. Kinesiology, phys ed, and sports management are all courses one can take that will get you there but UT's teacher education program is adviser dependent (more than other majors) because subjects from many depts. meet the licensure requirements.

The STATE of Tennessee however suggests anyone wanting to teach PE have more than one subject licensure area. This set-up isn't new despite the College of Education merging with Health and Human Sciences.

But I do agree that they could make finding your way through the mess a heckuva lot easier. I have a lot of beefs with the College of Education AND the state's worship of them (and I don't mean just UT's - all of them).

Also, UT's College of Education turns far too many people down and I don't mean just athletes. They have a whole interview process and tell a lot of students nope. I had one student who was one of the brightest I'd ever taught who they refused admission because she didn't fit in. It's the only College that has such a stick up it's rear end and ignores grades to boot. I've also taught morons who had no problem getting in. I know they're worried about abusers and such BUT they do it on the whim of the interviewer. It's the only college within the University that operates this way.

While there is no criminal science major, you can get a Sociology degree with a concentration in criminal justice (a lot of pre-law students do this). It's tougher than your Sally Struthers style become-a-beat-cop/get-a-certificate-you-don't-actually-need-to-be-a-cop degree but this set-up has been around for ages at UT.

What stops many would be sociology majors is that both theory and stats classes are required and always have been.

Thanks for your input. It has really added to the discussion. Much more than the 'but he ate a booger' crowd.

 

[UTProf]

I have a family member currently attending UTK that is a good student and she wants to be a phys ed teacher and was told no program is available at UTK at this time. Maybe she was told wrong?

Not at all. However, she can still get a degree that allows her to teach P.E. It is not, however, labeled as a major in P.E. and is in my opinion more convoluted than it need be in terms of finding out what to take but then they really want you to use an adviser in the college of Ed..

The point I was trying to make is these programs are offered as pre-packaged areas of study at other SEC schools. At most of the rest of the SEC you can major in elementary education, physical education, criminal justice, etc. Combine the lack of these "basic" (some would say "easy") programs with the stepped requirements for degree progress that UT has above and beyond the NCAA and SEC requirements and it is harder to keep an athlete eligible at UTK than at some of our peer SEC schools.

I'm not so certain but states are largely responsible for not only dept. mergers which kill off majors, rename them, and/or transform them but also for setting the requirements for teacher licenses. UT is pretty much following their lead when it comes to that.

That is part of the competitive disadvantage that Hart directly addressed in the press conference when he announced Dooley's dismissal. Hart knew that the coaches he would try to hire know about our current competitive disadvantage and that he had to address it directly.

Alabama, Florida, A&M, and I'm sure there are others rank higher than us so why do say so? I just don't see how academics is such a huge problem given that.

 

[ncvol17]

Cheek & BJ .. a dangerous combination in the wrong hands...

 

[Jax_Vol]

Lanier didn't academically qualify at Auburn when he originally signed with them in 2009. That's why he went to JUCO. Not all credits transfer from JUCO. Eastern Miss. Community College only has MSU, Southern Miss, and Ole Miss (a total of 1 course) on their articulation agreement (fancy way of saying credits transfer) with few courses offered for agreed transfer. They had ASU for 1 course but it was revoked.

Contrast that to Walter's State which works hard to make sure more non-remedial courses will transfer.

It sounds as though it's a really lousy community college more interested in taking kids' money than anything else. When you can't even get credit at a state school and only a few in-state courses qualify there's something very wrong.

So we should not sign any more kids from that juco, right?

 

[Jax_Vol]

Not at all. However, she can still get a degree that allows her to teach P.E. It is not, however, labeled as a major in P.E. and is in my opinion more convoluted than it need be in terms of finding out what to take but then they really want you to use an adviser in the college of Ed..



I'm not so certain but states are largely responsible for not only dept. mergers which kill off majors, rename them, and/or transform them but also for setting the requirements for teacher licenses. UT is pretty much following their lead when it comes to that.



Alabama, Florida, A&M, and I'm sure there are others rank higher than us so why do say so? I just don't see how academics is such a huge problem given that.

I have no problem with good academics as long as it doesn't get in the way of the football team.

 

[Carl Pickens]

Dude ate a booger at the press conference. Is that not enough?

On tv no less......I disliked him before this just because of his previous associations but this took it to a new level.....he should have scratched his azz and sniffed his finger while he was at it....why not go all the way?

 

[UTProf]

So we should not sign any more kids from that juco, right?

Depends on what they take and how low their HS grades were. Also a recruit may make up for low grades with a decent ACT/SAT. It's fine to not credit for a class or classes so long as their HS grades plus the credits that do transfer are high enough. Also, does their remedial work transfer? That's a big question right there and remedial work isn't always a part of the credit acceptance lists available.

But as a rule, recruiters should be paying attention to which JUCOs transfer creds and which don't whenever there's grade trouble from the past. It's not hard to calculate the combined potential GPA of a transfer if he releases it and it could save a whole lot of headaches.

 

[WhitewaterVol]

Alabama, Florida, A&M, and I'm sure there are others rank higher than us so why do say so? I just don't see how academics is such a huge problem given that.

That is an excellent question. If all those schools can rank higher than us in academics without the additional rules UTK puts on athletics, why do we need those additional rules? If they can rank higher and still have phys ed and criminal justice as degree programs, why did we eliminate them?

I think Cheek is correct in thinking we need to improve academics at UTK but I think he took the wrong approach. If Florida can rank higher academically without harming athletics, we should be able to do it as well. At this point I no longer have any confidence in Cheek at my alma mater and think he needs to be replaced. It is not just his policies towards athletics, there are other detrimental policies as well.

For instance, when I attended UTK, I had two young children and had to work full time. I found that between work and school, 12-13 hours was about the most I could handle in a semester. I stayed on track to graduate by taking 7-8 hours each summer.

Cheek has implemented a new policy that he says is aimed to help students graduate in 4 years. Students now have to pay for 15 hours a semester regardless of how many hours they are enrolled. For me this would have increased the cost of attending UTK with no benefit. I still graduated on time, so the argument it helps students graduate in 4 years is silly - it's just a money grab.

 

[Jax_Vol]

Depends on what they take and how low their HS grades were. Also a recruit may make up for low grades with a decent ACT/SAT. It's fine to not credit for a class or classes so long as their HS grades plus the credits that do transfer are high enough. Also, does their remedial work transfer? That's a big question right there and remedial work isn't always a part of the credit acceptance lists available.

But as a rule, recruiters should be paying attention to which JUCOs transfer creds and which don't whenever there's grade trouble from the past. It's not hard to calculate the combined potential GPA of a transfer if he releases it and it could save a whole lot of headaches.

Huh...thanks for the info prof! Yeah, that is what I was thinking....it seems the coaches should understand all those details and be able to avoid most of those type headaches.


Just FYI, Jimmy Cheek's favorite pickup line when he really wants to score with the ladies.....

"If you were a booger, I would pick you first."

 

[UTProf]

Huh...thanks for the info prof! Yeah, that is what I was thinking....it seems the coaches should understand all those details and be able to avoid most of those type headaches.

And if the coaches don't want to do the work just have some grad student do it. It's really not terribly difficult. Though it sounds harder than it is.

Just FYI, Jimmy Cheek's favorite pickup line when he really wants to score with the ladies.....

"If you were a booger, I would pick you first."

lol:

 

[82_VOL_83]

I don't have a high opinion of Cheek because of the Bruce Pearl debacle that mostly stems from his utter cluelessness that he'd be backtracking soon (he should've had enough brain cells to see that coming) so he's turned into a bumbling fool in my eyes even though I never wanted to see Pearl go and feel that Pearl was on the receiving end of being too big for his britches by the NCAA -- what was Bruce thinking, thinking he could coach perennial whipping boy UT to greatness and stepping on Calipari's gangrenous but winning toes? Or at least that's how I read the NCAA's disproportionate response especially in light of how they handled the Newton case and exposed them for the hypocrites they were even further (along with soo many other cases).

But the Pearl debacle, stripped Cheek of any cred both within and without the AD imo. He's the last guy anyone actually puts faith in and I have a strong feeling he has made few sports based decisions since then other than singing off on what coaches and big money tell him too (jmo).

So since he's so reviled around here, to the point of obsession (he's like Darth Vader to our Rebel Alliance) -- big, scary, but ultimately breathes through a respirator just to stay alive and does a bigger badder guy's bidding. Yet he makes for a good bad guy for us to rally around in his own right.

What I don't understand is why? What is it that he's done to earn the constant blame/hate he receives? Is it just because he's the last guy standing since Hammy is no longer here? What is it?

Yes the booger thing was weird and embarrassing but it's also brand new.

To me Cheek is just a neutered yes-man.

All opinions welcome.

I despised Cheek from academics way before I even knew about VN.

 

[vols-1]

Probably because he is the one that signed off on all these asinine hires.

 

[volzfanz]

There's going to be a whole lot of "he's killing athletics for academics" in this thread but almost no specifics on exactly what he's supposed to have done. I would guess I follow it more closely than 98 percent of Vol fans and I don't know the details myself. All most Vol fans know is that he's a Gator and he's an academic so they hate him.

Almost every NCAA school allows student athletes with less than stellar ACT or SAT scores to be accepted through "SPECIAL ADMISSIONS PROGRAMS". The student then takes remedial classes and such with the understanding that they will graduate on time.

NCAAF Report: Exemptions benefit athletes - ESPN

After the linda bensel-myers issue, UT even gutted our programs that helped to ensure that our student athletes remain eligible by special tutoring and schedule planning due to travel and community service commitments that athletes are subjected to. There are other things as well but thats a start. Jimmy Cheek is the head of all this. If he hasnt changed the policies then I assume he favors them. That makes him hated by those of us who like to see a competitive football team.

 

[volzfanz]

He also admittedly interviewed some coaches. Why the heck is he interviewing coaches? He is not the AD. He should not be involved in athletics at all........period. If I were a coach I would wonder why I had to interview with him, and if this means that I would be asked to jump through other hoops in the future for the academic side of the business.

 

[volzfanz]

For the record, Alabama and Florida both employ special admissions for student athletes. Not sure about A&M. Most military connected schools dont use special admissions programs.

 

[Herman Hickman]

James Cheek is one of the faces of the University of Tennessee. He should comport himself with dignity when he is before the public and in front of the camera. I expect the behavior he displayed in front of a national audience from a toddler. I don't expect it from the leader of my Alma mater.

Those who believe Alabama, LSU, Florida, and the other SEC programs hold their student-athletes to the same admission standards they place upon the rest of the student body are absolutely kidding themselves. You can't demand Doug Atkins and Reggie White on Saturday if you're only allowing Poindexter and Percy into class Monday through Friday. There just aren't enough Charles Davis and Peyton Manning-types in the nation's best academic high schools allowing you to compete against programs casting a wider net for talent.

The presence of Bobby Dodd and George Cafego on our campus didn't hurt Tennessee's reputation as a university in the 1920s and 1930s. Shazzon Bradley and Leonard Little didn't harm our academic ranking one iota in the 1980s and 1990s. The restrictions placed upon athletics by Cheek and his minions haven't done one thing to enhance the prestige of the University of Tennessee as an academic institution. It has only served to put us in the bottom-tier of athletics programs in terms of performance in our conference.

We can have quality academics and athletics. But you are not going to have quality athletics in the SEC with the existence of a climate overly-restrictive in admissions and completely hostile towards sports on campus. This is the climate Chancellor Cheek has created at Tennessee. The result? Too close to Sewanee and Tulane for comfort.

I have yet to see one of Cheek's defenders demonstrate to us how a level playing field for student-athlete admissions would pose harm either to the academic mission of the University of Tennessee or to their particular degree.

 

[volzfanz]

A toddler. That was classic. I actually did laugh out loud. Wtf is wrong with him? I cant stop laughing.

 

[Herman Hickman]

A toddler. That was classic. I actually did laugh out loud. Wtf is wrong with him? I cant stop laughing.

He doesn't give a damn. That is his problem. He doesn't value this University to the same extent as those of us who actually love it.

If you are chosen to represent the University of Tennessee in a public event, then you are going to put your best effort into representing Tennessee with honor and dignity. You went there. You got a great education there. You love it and you want others to love it as much as you do.

Cheek didn't care. His mind was somewhere else.

 

[TennesseeFan07]

I saw Cheek tonight. He's a delusional idiot. He told the guy that was with me that Butch Jones had one of the greatest press conferences ever. How does that translate into winning football games, Jimmy?

 

[volzfanz]

James Cheek is one of the faces of the University of Tennessee. He should comport himself with dignity when he is before the public and in front of the camera. I expect the behavior he displayed in front of a national audience from a toddler. I don't expect it from the leader of my Alma mater.

Due to the normally serious and informative nature of your posts that Ive read, this was the funniest thing Ive seen in a long time.

I dont think many people understand how much of an impact his continued policies have on recruiting......not to mention the ability to land a really big name coach. Is this university really gonna continue in this direction?

 

[DarthVisor]

If he truly cares about academics, then he is justified in doing what he must to help that arm of the university. However, I think he is simply doing the things he does to put on a show.

 

[tennfever]

Widely thought to be anti football person. Who knows if it's true or not. We do know he likes boogers.

 

[VolsFanRJ]

Cheek signed off on a $5 million buyout for Dooley. According to Faud Reviez Dooley basically sold UT on why they should hire him during his interview and was never really qualified to get the job to start with. Then you sign off on a $5 million buyout. Not smart.

 

[Chris4Vols22]

To the OP, what about the Pearl saga has your panties in a wad? Trying to establish credibility here. Don't tell me you don't think he deserved to get fired...