This is the reality that fans need to go ahead and
accept. You can throw out all the
numbers and stats you want, but there is only one that matters now and that is
the number of fans in Neyland Stadium.
After talking to UT fans last week I began to realize more and more how
important the Florida game was for Derek Dooley. I knew we were going to lose but I enjoyed the optimism of
other fans. However after
listening to more and more fans share their excitement it made me realize the
coming reaction if we did lose.
Dooley still has several supporters who live on message
boards declaring anybody who thinks Dooley will be fired is crazy, but empty
seats at Neyland will get you fired faster than any loss. I am not calling for his job. I don’t have to. He has done a good job getting recruits
interested in UT, but who believes in him as a coach? Dave Hart said back in the summer there are no more
excuses. Any fan that thinks
Dooley is going to take this team to UGA and Mississippi Mistake then come home
and play Bama and USCjr and come out on top is delusional. If we go 0-2 in our next two SEC games
there will be more Bama fans at Neyland than UT fans.
The reason the clock is set for October 29th is
because we fired Fulmer and Majors the Monday following USCjr. People laughed at me when I said we
should fire Dooley the day after NSD.
It isn’t that I don’t like him but I knew he would not turn the program
around. Since Dave Hart did not pull the trigger after the
Kentucky game we had to wait until the recruits signed. I said then if we don’t make the change
now then we will the Monday after the South Carolina game. Well if you don’t believe me start
counting the empty seats this weekend.
GBO
Well, since he won't be fired before September 29th, I can still hold onto hope that there can be a little more Big Orange magic in Athens this weekend. Go Vols! Beat Georgia. Hey... South Carolina can use all the help it can get. Also, I know you don't take kindly to UK around here, but this is a pretty good article: http://www.aseaofblue.com/2012/9/18/3354632/kentucky-footall-whos-worth-more-uk-basketball-or-football . Since, Kentucky is also looking at getting rid of its point. It's not just about wins and losses, or about how much the buyout is. If fans are showing you with their lack of attendance, Tennessee might not be able to afford keeping Dooley around. And you certainly want to make sure your job is available to all the coaches that might consider teams like Arkansas or Kentucky or even Auburn if they get fed up.
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