Vespidae
Helluva Engineer
- Messages
- 4,973
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- Auburn, AL
I am amused watching the turmoil at the University of Tennessee re the fate of Coach Butch Jones.
Here's the dilemma. If UT loses this weekend to Georgie, they will effectively be out of the SEC East race and its not even the end of September (bad). Butch has a terrible relationship withe press, doesn't get along especially well with the players, has a reputation as crappy game day coach. In short, he's viewed by UT fans as not SEC material and certainly not UT material. Fans want to thank him for his service and move him back to a lesser conference.
On the other hand, the University likes him. He's restored (yes, restored) UT to something of a national prominence after the debacle of Dooley and Kiffin. He's won 9 games each of the last two years and will probably do ok this year given the low expectations. He's a good recruiter. He's a family man and people like him personally. Butch offers stability in a rich, storied program ... but likely won't be a SEC contender, let alone a national one. They also know that Johnny Majors took 8 years to win an SEC championship, so there's that. And there's no one in the pipeline to take over the program so they would have to gamble on another unknown.
Long story short. The Fans hate him. The University likes him. But even the University admits, if the donors cave on him, Butch is out.
So sports fans, if you are UT ... do you fire him now, or voice your support for a guy who is admittedly not great ... but has at least gotten the program back to somewhat being normal?
Here's the dilemma. If UT loses this weekend to Georgie, they will effectively be out of the SEC East race and its not even the end of September (bad). Butch has a terrible relationship withe press, doesn't get along especially well with the players, has a reputation as crappy game day coach. In short, he's viewed by UT fans as not SEC material and certainly not UT material. Fans want to thank him for his service and move him back to a lesser conference.
On the other hand, the University likes him. He's restored (yes, restored) UT to something of a national prominence after the debacle of Dooley and Kiffin. He's won 9 games each of the last two years and will probably do ok this year given the low expectations. He's a good recruiter. He's a family man and people like him personally. Butch offers stability in a rich, storied program ... but likely won't be a SEC contender, let alone a national one. They also know that Johnny Majors took 8 years to win an SEC championship, so there's that. And there's no one in the pipeline to take over the program so they would have to gamble on another unknown.
Long story short. The Fans hate him. The University likes him. But even the University admits, if the donors cave on him, Butch is out.
So sports fans, if you are UT ... do you fire him now, or voice your support for a guy who is admittedly not great ... but has at least gotten the program back to somewhat being normal?
