Ask the average SEC fan who Jeremy Foley is. They could tell you in a heartbeat. Same goes for Mal Moore and Mitch Barnhart. Why? In the last five years each has been faced with adversity and mediocrity in their respective school’s signature programs. Unfortunately for the rest of the SEC when their turn came, they all made career hires.
Foley dumped Ron Zook and hired Urban Meyer. Moore fired Mike Shula (a school hero nonetheless) and hired head hunter Nick Saban. Barnhart watched Tubby hit the road for Minnesota and hired Billy Clyde Gillispie.
Each of those athletic directors made tough and smart decisions to keep their programs relevant. Add the resurgence of Georgia and LSU to the list and one might say that this decade has been the Renaissance of the SEC powerhouses. With each of these programs the enlightenment started at the top.
Now, ask the Average SEC fan who Mike Hamilton is.
Is he the delivery boy at from the deli downstairs? Is he the guy in the ticket office? Was he on the ticket with Bob Barr as a Vice presidential candidate?
As fate would have it, Mike Hamilton, the current athletic director at the University of Tennessee, now has a real opportunity to make a name for himself. With a successful hire, he may go from relative obscurity to a major player in the world of college athletics.
So far, I must say that I am not entirely displeased with how he has handled this situation. Lets face it, getting rid of a stalwart like Fulmer is no easy task. He has taken heat from all sides on the issue. Many view Hamilton as a puppet for the boosters, while others say he was the co founder and chairman of the Phil Fulmer fan club. The fans have been particularly hard on Hamilton for all of these reasons.
This is his opportunity to rise out of the shadows of the past, including his humble rise to the head of the athletic department. Once the decision is made, he will get all of the credit or the blame for the hire.
Back in 2005 Hamilton presented a disgruntled fan base with a list of goals for this Tennessee program. At that time his measuring stick for this program, and its’ coaches performance was very clear. Two SEC championships every decade became the hallmark of that particular edict.
If he makes the correct hire, and the new coach meets those goals, and if Bruce Pearl produces a Final Four appearance in the next year, Mike Hamilton will have a firm position in the University of Tennessee athletic lore. Consequently he should also be considered as one of the more skillful athletic directors in the country.
Mikey…it is your time to shine.
I personally think he is on the right track. Until next time, Go Vols!