Posted by Silent_Fulmer on April 30, 2008 at 11:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)

whatever pays the bill to Foolmore's Jackson Hole, WY residence.

The vol fans are willing to keep the great pumpkin happy.

Posted by Silent_Fulmer on April 30, 2008 at 11:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)

UT had to pay out about $200,000 more in salary and performance payouts, mostly because the Vols went to Atlanta for the SEC football championship.

Nothing like having to pay more $ for backing into a SEC title game that we lost to yet another backup QB in.

Posted by Silent_Fulmer on April 30, 2008 at 11:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)

It's a good thing that Foolmore is not going to talk to the press about the school raising ticket prices while goals laid out by Hamilton 6 years ago are still not being met.

Rest assured if Basketball ticket prices were raised Pearl would be doing a grassroots campaign to probably raise the money himself or offer to donate some of his salary. Speaking of, Pearl was mentioned on helping the football team with a recruits school he was at last week.

Foolmore? He'll be in Jackson Hole all summer if you need him.

Posted by burntorangeVOLffle on April 30, 2008 at 11:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Fulmer donated $1 million dollars last summer.

Posted by danthemanwells on May 1, 2008 at 12:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)

silent_fulmer...

you just posted 3 posts in a row, all saying the same thing. you don't like fulmer. we get it. new topic

Posted by govolsfan on May 1, 2008 at 12:21 a.m. (Suggest removal)

So heres the kicker, once the dang budget is balanced from this years increase in tickets, are the prices going to drop back down next year? NO!

Posted by WorkinLikeHeck on May 1, 2008 at 12:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Fulmer did donate the million only after Bruce did.

Posted by newtonrail on May 1, 2008 at 12:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Pearl hasn't donated a million. He and his ex wife set up scholy in Bradshaw's name that is funded at $100,000., but far be it from me to spoil your kicking Fulmer party. What's wrong with Fulmer going out to Cleveland's own Alan Jones' Ranch in Jackson Hole? Whether you hate him or not, doesn't he get a vacation? To get back to report, why is the AD pushing us to buy Tickets, etc. online, if credit card costs are higher. I'll be glad to go back to mailing in check for ducats.

Posted by imwithphilly on May 1, 2008 at 5:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Backing in? Parcels said, "You are what your record says." I doesnt matter how you do it.

Posted by pdhuff on May 1, 2008 at 6:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Lemme see, we give up a 100 to Fla (bowl game loser) and Bama (no one drafted by NFL)and Mikey rewards us by gouging again.

Hope I get my new and thicker orange-colored glasses. My sheep marching order plan has kool-aid spilled on it. I think for $39.95 they'll send another.

Soon....

Is this a great country or what?

Posted by invisiblekid on May 1, 2008 at 6:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)

After hearing this news, I can now sleep again.

Posted by rusty_shackleford on May 1, 2008 at 7:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)

With all apologies to old fashioned rock and roll...

Here comes the haters, 1-2-3.
They're all part of UT's family.
They love to piss, and they love to moan.
"If you ain't perfect then you're on your own."

It's all part of tuscaloosa john's fantasy.
It's all part of tuscaloosa john's dream.

Posted by TommyJack on May 1, 2008 at 7:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)

PD: You got a spare "I beat Adams" t-shirt, 2x?
Need to spread the word out here.

Posted by richvol on May 1, 2008 at 7:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)

"The football team did better than the athletic department expected. We didn't budget for performance bonuses because we try to be realistic." Please...in view of all the debate about the football program that's the first excuse they want to put out there? Who was thinking here? You want to up front admit that expectations are low for the football program? This department needs a first class public relations company to generate press releases that don't make us look ridiculous. All you boys who are thinking about coming to school here be sure to read the athletic department offical position on the expectation for the football team. Genius!

Posted by Volalumnus on May 1, 2008 at 7:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Way too much not to like in this article.
Things better turn around soon or it will be more than one person's job. It appears the A Dept couldn't handle a lower turnout season right now and fans are not going to be excited about having to pay more for less.
Except for Pearl, Mike Hamilton is lost in the wilderness, handing out blank checks to goat herders for sand when he needs water.

Posted by GreerVol22 on May 1, 2008 at 7:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)

And to think, all Phil had to do was to lose one more game in the East and we would have been on budget. Imagine the egg on Bill Myers face the day we found out we were going to Atlanta.

Seems to me, if the Athletic directors staff doesn't have enough faith in the team and coaches to budget an Atlanta trip then why are we in business? We need a change at the top, eh Adams?

Posted by BigOrangeHustler on May 1, 2008 at 7:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Nice Rusty, there's nothing like a good Bad Company remake.

Posted by hiresanders on May 1, 2008 at 8:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Why shouldn't Fat Phil spend the summer in Wyoming? He knows he can keep doing what he's been doing the last 7 or 8 years and keep his job. Why put in overtime?

Posted by 99gator on May 1, 2008 at 8:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)

what is the face value for tenn tix per game?

got the florida season ticket order form (for road games) and the tenn ticket was the most expensive.....$70.

are all tenn game tickets priced at $70.

Posted by pdhuff on May 1, 2008 at 8:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)

TJ, I do have 2 or 3 t-shirts with that very design. But man, they set the bar on downright ugly. No way around it.

But a mama warthog loves it young. I try to get one out to ye. Is it Genl Delivery, Boerne, Tx or email me correct direction. Be specific, such as "3 doors down from Lone Star sign", etc.

Anyway we can up the deficit to 5 mil with a stirring 7-5 year?

Posted by mcbrim1998 on May 1, 2008 at 8:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Uh-Oh. Just think what will happen to your budget when you have to let Fulmer go at the end of the season, and you have to pay him AND a good successor.

Posted by MOOREVOLS on May 1, 2008 at 8:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)

99gator--for season tickets the UT tickets average about $43 to $44. For individual games, not in a season package, they will average more. The Florida and Bama games are the most expensive for individual tickets with Northern Illinois and Wyoming being the least expensive. all others fall in the middle, but closer to the low end. I bought my season tickets about 3 weeks ago, so I may be off a dollar or two, but I'm not off by much.

Posted by MOOREVOLS on May 1, 2008 at 9 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I just found my season ticket order receipt and I paid $630.00 total for two season tickets. $45 per game with 7 home games.

What's bad is that I paid $52.00 each ticket for the Tennessee game at Vandy.

Posted by tigervol9802 on May 1, 2008 at 9:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Wait a minute.

You are telling me that the athletic department's expectations of this team were lower than three embarassing defeats and a choke job in Atlanta? 10-4 is now better than expectations?

Yet Hamilton is still in line to give Fulmer a raise later this summer, putting him somewhere in the neighborhood of $2.5 million?

Am I the only one who doesn't think that quite adds up?

Posted by JWilly on May 1, 2008 at 9:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)

"The football team did better than the athletic department expected. We didn't budget for performance bonuses because we try to be realistic." Aparently the athletic dept. powers that be do not have much confidence in Fulmer either.

Posted by bigbluevol on May 1, 2008 at 9:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)

newtonrail, you're right he does get a vacation of which he will spend maybe 2 weeks there, then be back working. Someone talked about Pearl helping with a football recruit and Fulmer doing nothing. Just a reminder that the NCAA changed the rules and head coaches are no longer allowed to travel for recruiting purposes in the spring period. See all the articles on this very site about Saban complaining about the rule change.

Posted by blhvols on May 1, 2008 at 9:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I agree with the other poster, I'll be glad to mail a check to reduce credit card costs. Also, how can you under budget for the championship game. You know the salaries and the bonus agerrments!!! How does the state mandate an athletic departments salary increase? Sounds as though we have a very loose control of managing and setting a budget. Whose in charge and whose head is going to be had for this calamity. These are excuses and poor management on Hamiltons part!!!

Posted by WorkinLikeHeck on May 1, 2008 at 9:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I guess getting an additional couple million from a BCS bowl wouldn't help matters any right Foolmore?

Posted by BigOrangeJeff on May 1, 2008 at 9:44 a.m. (Suggest removal)

First of all, how many of you whining idiots predicted the team would finish third or lower in the SEC East? I'd wager that number would be somewhere close to 100%. So what does that tell us?

Secondly, had they budgeted for this scenario, then last year's budget wouldn't have been balanced and the increase would have come in 2007.

Third, had they announced last season that tickets were going up because they were budgeting for the costs and bonuses associated with the SECCG trip, you guys would have been screaming from the rooftops that they had no idea what they were talking about, that expectations were unrealistic, etc.

Once again, the UTAD is damned if they do and damned if they don't.

Here's a question for any/all of you know-it-alls. You're now the AD. What do you do to fix the budget problem? And be specific, don't just say "Fire Fulmer!!!" You have to name his successor and the new OC/DC if you fire them, too.

What about it? Any of you big enough to step up?

Posted by volroadwarrior on May 1, 2008 at 9:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)

The Negative Nellies are like a flock of hens. Make a little noise and they all start clucking. Another article, positive or negative, cluck--cluck--cluck. They cluck if we win the East. They cluck when we lose a game. They cluck when we win a game. No matter what happens--cluck---cluck---cluck!!!!!!

Posted by waterskier3 on May 1, 2008 at 9:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)

NOW IT ALL COMES TOGETHER..... expectations that are set from you boss, parent etc directly leads to the persons performance in what they do in life!!!! That's the reason CPF hasn't won a championship the admin doesn't expect him to win one so he's just living up to their expectations...

OMG... the more we learn about the admin the more we may need to clean house... let fulmer stay to beat neyland, no expectations for championships in football......... WTF??????????????

Posted by VenomousVol on May 1, 2008 at 9:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)

You all know we gotta keep Phil's salary competitive with other SEC coaches. If we don't somebody from another school or the NFL might come in here and steal him away from us.BWAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Posted by VenomousVol on May 1, 2008 at 9:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)

VolRoadWarrior! What do the negative nellies do when we win a SEC championship? Nobody knows, hens don't live ten years.

Posted by GreerVol22 on May 1, 2008 at 9:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)

volroadwarrior....cluck you.

Posted by WorkinLikeHeck on May 1, 2008 at 10 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Big Orange Jeff, I really hope you don't expect people to know how to budget $97 million dollars without knowing anything other than the summary numbers they publish every year.

Posted by VolGraduate on May 1, 2008 at 10:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)

How is it possible to claim to be a UT fan but at the same time hate everything about the program??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

can you say champ chasers

Posted by mcbrim1998 on May 1, 2008 at 10:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Me thinks the Vols needs to hire a PR firm (OOPS, a new budget item). These are some of the dumbest excuses I have seen in a long time. If they didn't expect the extra expenses from winning, did they not expect lower revenues from LOSING?

Posted by tigervol9802 on May 1, 2008 at 10:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Big Orange Jeff -

1. Quit spending money like a drunken sailor to appease the top 2% of the donors by building unneded construction projects. This alone would probably solve 99% of the budget problems.

2. Not make any deals with start-up football gimmick leagues and then count on it to fix the budget shorages.

3. Charge a homer fee to folks like yourself who will praise Hamitlon and worhsip Fulmer for that national and SEC title he won 10 years ago.

Posted by VolGraduate on May 1, 2008 at 10:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)

quit crying girls...fulmer isn't going anywhere

Posted by Skibum165 on May 1, 2008 at 10:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I wish I could do the budget for my own finances like UT does! 200,000 more in salary and performance payments is only one side of the ledger. UT gets a cut of all of the Vol merchandise. That's game day shirts for the SEC title game. Appearance fees to both schools (minus teams expenses).
Increased TV revenue for the 2009. Not too shabby!

God help us if we go on a NC run deep into November. UT will come out with a special statement saying they are over budget for campus game day security due to increased fan support.

Posted by mcbrim1998 on May 1, 2008 at 10:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)

God help us if we go on a NC run deep into November. UT will come out with a special statement saying they are over budget for campus game day security due to increased fan support.
----
That is one thing you need not worry about.

Posted by WorkinLikeHeck on May 1, 2008 at 10:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)

It's kind of hard to go a deep run for a NC into November when you can't get out of September undefeated pretty much every year.

Posted by BigOrangeJeff on May 1, 2008 at 10:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)

tigervol9802:

I applaud your attempt at pleading your case. You did it unemotionally and, with a slight exception in bullet 3, without resorting to name-calling and insults. Unfortunately, your case doesn't appear to hold water.

1. This sounds more like opinion than fact. Where did you get your 99% number? Additionally, what projects are unnecessary? Upgraded facilities are necessary to attract the big money it takes to be competitive, not to mention the top recruits.

2. Objection! Assumes facts not in evidence. I've seen no evidence that supports your claim that they included these revenues in the 2008 budget. Apparently, however, you have. Can you provide a link... or are you just spouting an opinion again?

3. I have neither praised Hamilton nor worshipped Fulmer. I have only asked for specific, realistic, tangible alternatives to the status quo.

I applaud your attempt to respond. Usually, I get the standard "Anybody But Fulmer" response when I ask this.

Better luck next time,
BOJ

Posted by Brama on May 1, 2008 at 10:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Somebody better rein Hamilton in or we are going to price ourselves out of having a fan base! I tired of seeing coaches get big raises for 8-4 seasons or a basketball coach reaching the sweet 16.

Posted by WorkinLikeHeck on May 1, 2008 at 10:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)

BOJ, you can't do what you are asking people to do without the necessary information.

Posted by mjohnsonvols on May 1, 2008 at 10:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)

We suck we have always sucked and we will never be good. The NC year was just a gift from up above was not real just a dream.
Just trying to see how negative thoughts feel. I don't think I like it. I'm still going to have a little faith and take some jabs at workin and greer. Keep up the good work there HENS!

GO VOLS!
I will pay what ever to support the team I love no matter how bad we are.

Posted by VolGraduate on May 1, 2008 at 10:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)

i'm sure workinlikeheck is undefeated at everything he does...he is a true fair weathered fan

Posted by BigOrangeJeff on May 1, 2008 at 10:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)

WhininLikeHeck,
So what you're saying is that you are unqualified to offer real solutions to the issues facing the UTAD.

Excellent!

Posted by pdhuff on May 1, 2008 at 10:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)

We'll be ok as long as Mikey H gets his "man-hug" in on Phil aka the romping of SC.

Posted by VolGraduate on May 1, 2008 at 11 a.m. (Suggest removal)

workinlikeheck smells like cabbage

Posted by 02champs on May 1, 2008 at 11:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)

And now we hear from another un-needed associate AD....how many do we have over there now...???...let's cut a few of these bloodsuckers loose and we wouldn't have had to raise ticket prices. Wake up, Hamilton..!!! And isn't it about time to cut the Lady Vols loose on their own..? Too many softball trips to the west coast and Hawaii, Joan.

Posted by WorkinLikeHeck on May 1, 2008 at 11:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Actually BOJ, I have a $50 million dollar budget of my own to help forecast and budget for another institution. A ton of universities have a crap load of dead weight on their staffs (not talking about any of the coaches) that could easily be cut and save a couple hundred thousand in salaries/benefits expense. For some reason though, we appear to do a better job than Mikey and the boys appear to do. You have to have all of the data to even attempt to budget, forecast, and manage an amount that large. To try and do so with no information like you are challenging people here to do is ignorant. Nobody could do it.

The problem is that they are probably not budgeting things wrong, it's that Hamilton is coming out in the public, trying to justify the increases with all these other things when he should probably just not say anything at all unless he wants to put all the numbers out there and tell everyone the whole story.

Posted by VolGraduate on May 1, 2008 at 11:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)

workinlikeheck:

issue spotting doesn't require "all the data."

since you are a self-proclaimed budgeting expert what are some possible pitfalls in the budget?...beside the oh so vague "dead weight" comment?

Posted by BADGES0413 on May 1, 2008 at 11:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)

99gator, UT raised the individual game tickets for Alabama and Florida knowing it would only affect the AL and FL fans. They raised the price I think from $50 to $70 for the 10,000 seats we give to you. That was a quick $400,000 to help fix these so called budget woes.

Posted by WorkinLikeHeck on May 1, 2008 at 11:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I never said I was an expert. Like I said, you can't do this without looking at all the numbers/data that encompass the UTAD budget. Something tells me the annual financial statement summary and then information from Hamilton in a few articles that we can "issue spot" isn't quite enough information to accurately budget for next year.

Posted by WD40plusVol on May 1, 2008 at 11:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Since UT is a public institution wouldn't all that information be available to the public as a matter of record? At the least available under FOIA if some enterprising young upstart at KNS with time on his hands would like to investigate and report?

Posted by TommyJack on May 1, 2008 at 11:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Sheesh...a battle between bean counters. Titallating.

Posted by tigervol9802 on May 1, 2008 at 11:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)

BOJ -

1. Sorry, I disagree with you. Winning cures all in my book. The Swamp and the O-Done aren't exactly great venues, but they seem to do quite well with recruiting.

Please tell me why all the renovations were needed at Thompson-Boling, the East Club at Neyland, etc. Then please provide me an analysis of how long it will take them to pay for themselves and if at that point they will be modern and needed or if we will have to build again.

2. Only though friends with more infomation than I have. And no, I don't mean talk radio. I really wish I had all the intricate details of our budget. I would love to see what they really spend money on.

3. I'm glad you are happy with the status quo. I personally am not. Had Hamilton made this announcement about rising ticket costs before the March 1 donation deadline as he should have I would not have not gotten season tickets this year. Instead, since I had already invested over half of the cost, I got them anyway. Be rest assured - 2008 will be my last season to get them. The product on the field isn't worth it.

As for other steps....

1. Hope and pray Clawson can show he can do it at the 1-A level. Personally, I think he can.

2. If he does, force Fulmer into a fundraising assistant AD role and promote Clawson.

3. I wouldnt' be surprised if this is Chavis' last year anyway based on soundbites he has given. Who do you bring in......right now I have no clue. Probably depends on #1 and #2.

Posted by WorkinLikeHeck on May 1, 2008 at 11:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)

The budget is probably available but not the whole thing that you need to really see what is going on. The statements are merely a summary of what is going on. It tells you the numbers but doesn't tell you why the numbers are what they are.

Posted by WD40plusVol on May 1, 2008 at 11:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)

What were my expectations last Spring? Let's see, a veteran backfield, a plethora of WRs to choose from, one of which could run like a spotted ape (and Taylor and Hancock were once termed exciting), a plethora of players in the secondary, one of which was expected to be AA, a star LB. Concerns with OL and DL which had mix of veteran and new.

Based on 06, expected to whip Cal, beat Florida based on defense degradation. Georgia would be tough but at home, Alabama on the road but new coach and wet behind the ears OC. SC? Always beware the Visor. Kentucky and Vandy...please.

Yeah, going to Atlanta was plausible.

Posted by thesavageorange on May 1, 2008 at 11:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)

There is something in this article that struck me odd.

Performance and salary payouts were higher than projected because the football team did better than predicted by the Athletic Department, for example. The university budgets for the payouts each year.

"We try to be realistic about where we think the teams will be," said Bill Myers, senior associate athletic director.

Uhhh, did better than predicted?Whos prediction?I hope the A dept isn't basing their predictions on some pre-season magazine.Shouldn't the university have higher expectations?If we went 7-6 next yr would the AD say, well, thats about where we were predicted?What the football team did last yr should be what is ATLEAST expected.In fact I think it was a little less than what should have been expected.Not the record ,but the UF and AL games.Especially AL.Losing by 24 to a 7-6 team should never be predicted for a Tennessee team.

Posted by UTfan4life on May 1, 2008 at 12:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)

this article is pointless..

Posted by VOLstuckINky on May 1, 2008 at 12:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)

funny ... Mike$ talkes about expecting to win but the athletic dept has "realistic" expectations about where the team will go or do.

Regardless ... you will pay more each year.

I didn't expect that beat down by Bama.

stay the curse. Watch from the couch.

Posted by thesavageorange on May 1, 2008 at 1:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I know this is a football thread, but there are unconfirmed reports coming out of K'Ville that Ramar Smith has been dismissed from the UT B-ball team for violating team rules, and have offered a scholorship to a juco point guard.

http://www.hoopsreport.com/news/hoops...

Posted by marc_ash on May 1, 2008 at 1:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)

savage,

I heard the same thing. Just posted about it on another thread. My source said the same thing...scary it is now in print.

Posted by Ashley on May 1, 2008 at 1:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Workin, what's going to be your pet name for Pearl?

Posted by volboy81 on May 1, 2008 at 2:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Most of you people that post on here need to get a new team to root for because Tennessee doesnt need or want you! Vandy is always looking for more fans. You sound like the spoiled Bama fans of the 90s and we see where they ended up in the 2000s!

Posted by thesavageorange on May 1, 2008 at 2:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)

marc_ash , Did your source say what the violation might have been?Hope it isn't drugs.Even though it is unconfirmed, hoopsnews has been very reliable at breaking stories.

Posted by WorkinLikeHeck on May 1, 2008 at 2:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Pearl is a God! Book it!!!!

Posted by rbhobbs73 on May 1, 2008 at 2:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)

workinlikeheck is exactly right on the budget. You cannot make an accurate assessment until you have the entire budget to view.

Summaries do not cut it.

Posted by cjraney on May 1, 2008 at 2:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)

workin-
In one post you claim to manage a $50 mil budget and in another you claim not to be an expert in managing budgets. Personally I don't care which of these statements is false, but I bet the owner of that $50 mil does.

Posted by WorkinLikeHeck on May 1, 2008 at 2:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Not really cjraney. I am good at it but I wouldn't call myself an expert...not yet anyway. I also said that I help manage it. It's not really a 1 person job. The owner of the $50 million likes the work I do so that's all I'm really concerned about.

Posted by cjraney on May 1, 2008 at 2:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)

tigervol-
Now why will you get rid of your tix next year when you think:
1. Clawson will be successful
2. Chief will retire
3. Fulmer will be pushed out
Isn't this the exact situation you and the other hens spend day after day clucking about?

Next season ['08] being the only season we know for sure Fulmer will be here, the "product" on the field being what it is, the last recruiting class being what it was, you STILL ponied up the dough for season tix.

You talk all tough and negative on here, but I suspect you've got some optimism regarding the '08 team inside you somewhere. [Workin-I would never accuse you of this since you're obviously too full of self-loathing to have any room for optimism.]

Posted by MOOREVOLS on May 1, 2008 at 2:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)

thesavage--I saw what you were talking about in reference to Ramar Smith on hoopsreport. I just went back to that site and they have now removed that story. Odd.

Posted by TN7275 on May 1, 2008 at 2:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Work, you seem to imply that your the boss of the 50 million.
"Actually BOJ, I have a $50 million dollar budget of my own to help forecast and budget for another institution. A ton of universities have a crap load of dead weight on their staffs."
For me 50 or 5 does not make a diffrence but if you are working for a public or private educational institution you already know that it takes an act of "at least a minor god" to get anyone with more than a few years on the payrolls fired. Even though i normally disagree with most of your posts I agree with you lastest. With contracts with buy outs and Union contracts it's very difficult to get out dead weight in private business much less public jobs.

Posted by thesavageorange on May 1, 2008 at 3:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)

MOOREVOLS ,Rob Lewis of volquest.com said he is checking into it.He said he has been making phone calls for over an hr, and has yet to have anyone return those calls.????Odd indeed.

Posted by capstone4117 on May 1, 2008 at 3:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)

neyland stadium=crackerjack box

Posted by mcbrim1998 on May 1, 2008 at 3:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Posted by tigervol9802 on May 1, 2008 at 11:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)

BOJ -

1. Sorry, I disagree with you. Winning cures all in my book. The Swamp and the O-Done aren't exactly great venues, but they seem to do quite well with recruiting.
---
Clearly you have been to neither as they are heads above either Vols venues. And, we didn't turn the benches over and cut two inches of ass-space off to increase the number of people who attend.

Kindest Regards,

Posted by tigervol9802 on May 1, 2008 at 3:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Possibly. This team could range anywhere from 5-7 to 11-1 and I will not be totally surprised. I was given a (perhaps false) sense of optimism when I read the Chris Low article on espn.com. I figured if he would write a positive UT article it was worth noting.

Honestly, I really still don't expect them to achieve about the only thing that will make me happy - an SEC title. I still expect 8-4 or worse to be honest, and at this moment in time you might as well go 0-12 in my book.

The reasons I poined up one more time for tikcets are like I said, I'd already invested too much at my tipping point (Colquitt's 5th arrest) to not get them. I've just determined that there are other things in life that are worth more than the roughly $1,600 it takes to buy tickets. If Hamilton can justify this for a team thant has loss 4 plus games 3 years in a row and hasn't won a conference title in nearly a decade - what will he try to justify charging if we do win one?

Posted by TommyJack on May 1, 2008 at 3:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)

McBrim: Perhaps you guys need the extra ass space.

Posted by tigervol9802 on May 1, 2008 at 3:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)

mcbrim -

Been to the Swamp twice. Nothing special in my opinion. It's loud...just not a world class facility. Been in the O-dome, not witnessed a game there, but once again, nothing special.

I was trying to compliment the Florida programs for it's success on and off the fields. Alas, that's not good enough. Typical Florida fan.

By the way - tell the golden boy to quit posing for pictures where he he hugging/kissing/licking other guys.

http://drunkathlete.com/2007/05/05/ti...

Posted by General_Fritter on May 1, 2008 at 3:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Bring back Tricky Dickey.

Posted by bigbluevol on May 1, 2008 at 3:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Jimmy Hyams, on Sports Talk, just said he had spoken to an assistant and that the Ramar rumor and Maze scholarship offer rumor are false.

Posted by Ashley on May 1, 2008 at 3:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)

BRYANA-DENNY STADIUM = MULLET FEST

Posted by MOOREVOLS on May 1, 2008 at 3:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)

thesavage -- Thanks

Posted by MOOREVOLS on May 1, 2008 at 3:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)

bigbluevol--I hope the rumors are false. I hate to see anyone kicked off the team.

Posted by thesavageorange on May 1, 2008 at 3:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)

John Brice on Rivals also confirmed that it was untrue, and that his family (Smith's) will be in town Friday to attend the Vols team banquet.

Posted by pdhuff on May 1, 2008 at 3:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)

There's also a rumor that Dupree broke the blue-light at Halls K-Mart. Unconfirmed so far.

Stay tuned. TDTN would know.

Posted by MOOREVOLS on May 1, 2008 at 3:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)

pdhuff--I hope that's false too. I love the blue-lights.

Posted by WorkinLikeHeck on May 1, 2008 at 4:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Lofton....WOW!!!

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/columns...

Posted by BADGES0413 on May 1, 2008 at 4:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Workin -- That is an unbeleiveable story about Lofton, I always respected him as a player and person, but this is amazing.

Posted by TommyJack on May 1, 2008 at 4:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Lofton da man

Posted by richvol on May 1, 2008 at 5:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)

It's the contradictions from the Athletic Department in this story that I have problems with. The team I will always support. The Athletic director has stated on several occasions that he expects us to compete for the conference championship at least twice in a five year period and win one every five years. Yet in a year when we have a senior QB,a veteran offensive line,a plethora of running backs,experienced LB's,an all-american DB and everybody in our division is about equal...we don't even expect them to make the championship game or budget for it on a contingency basis.

Do you,or do you not, expect Coach Fulmer to win as you have stated several times? It's been ten years so budgeting for your expectations should have left a surplus by now.

Posted by BigOrangeJeff on May 1, 2008 at 6:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)

pdhuff,
If your claims about your job are true, you sound like you have the experience necessary to offer valid criticism of the decisions made by the UTAD, if you had access to the budget numbers.

Would you agree?

Posted by General_Fritter on May 1, 2008 at 7:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Will we have any money left to buy fritters?

Posted by General_Fritter on May 1, 2008 at 7:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Anything to keep our beloved Phil Fulmer at UT - pay the man what he's worth Mikey.

Posted by pdhuff on May 1, 2008 at 8:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)

BOJ - Claims about my job!! Enlighten me. I'm a handyman.

Posted by douglasawilliams on May 1, 2008 at 10:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)

CJRANEY, I do have optimism for the 2008 season. I think Clawson will be successful and Crompton will be a very good QB. The defense will be much better and we will finally be successful at running the football again. I want Fulmer to be successful again why would anyone want different? Change at head coaches can turn mediocre teams into bad teams like Nebraska and Miami. I'm not a support Fulmer at any cost person at all and my support for him last year certainly was wavering after almost losing to S. Carolina after we had them down by 21 and the shameful blow-outs we suffered to UF AND UA. All our bellyaching about Fulmer does is erode his recruiting ability to land the very best recruits in the nation. So you Fulmer bashers, don't be Jane Fonda and pose with enemy aircraft artillery during the recruiting war. Dissension in the football program rewards the Gators and the Crimson Tide. GO VOLS!!!!

Posted by soddydaisy777 on May 1, 2008 at 10:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)

99gator your top class. I'm a season ticket holder 27 yrs now and some of these so called TN fans, well I'm embarrassed to call them fans. The Florida & bama tickets are $70, the rest are cheaper. Go Big Orange!!

Posted by soddydaisy777 on May 1, 2008 at 10:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Mike Hamilton, I'm a season holder for 27 yrs now. I feel like that I do have a gripe bout raising the football tickets. I understand you have to raise them sometimes, but not on the expense of the fans & students. You should ask help from your rich alums for help. The poor an average fan packs the stadium & on the road games to. I can cover whole lot more. But, there's not enough room.

Posted by vol_in_lsu_land on May 1, 2008 at 11:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Helping with the $50,000 budget=handing in gas receipts and daily sales/inventory data when he finishes his Moores potato chip truck route at local Pilot stations around K-town.

Posted by General_Fritter on May 1, 2008 at 11:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)

We ask you to pay these prices and please pay no more.

Posted by pdhuff on May 2, 2008 at 7:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Gen F 11:36pm - You sir, are a veteran of Neyland. That brought back memories.

Even thought of the train chugging in. Used to park in that lot. Built right on top of us and moved us to the steam plant lot. We were getting shuffled off to Buffalo. Standing on the deck watching the band come down gurgling the last pregame Bud. "Pride of the Southland".

All replaced by Clydesdales and K Kreme. Still like the idea of having the team run thru a giant glazed.

Selah.

Posted by TommyJack on May 2, 2008 at 7:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)

PD: http://youtube.com/watch?v=9kiUY7hGs5k

Posted by BigOrangeJeff on May 2, 2008 at 8:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)

pdhuff,
I got you confused with WhininLikeHeck. That question was meant for him.

My apologies.

Posted by pdhuff on May 2, 2008 at 8:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)

BOJ Stay off the sauce. LOL

Posted by pdhuff on May 2, 2008 at 9:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)

TJ, 7:33am- nearly as good as a cold Bud listening to "Proud Mary" by CCR. Or Conway's "Hello, Darlin'".

Ma put the shirts up but I'm researchng it with the Lab. Should go shortly.

Posted by WorkinLikeHeck on May 2, 2008 at 12:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)

BigOrangeDufus confused? Imagine that!!!! LOL!!!

Posted by JWilly on May 2, 2008 at 1:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Gen Frit, if they pay P Fulmer what he is worth, he won't be able to afford fritters! What an awful thing to do to anyone!

Posted by drakosben1 on May 4, 2008 at 2:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)

The champions of the people, the Democrats, will now investigate UT in order to see if they are gouging the little man and pocketing the rest. The guilty will be inpeached, and the rest will be made fun of on ESPN, the accomplices of the liberal left, and personal friends of Geno Auriennama.

Posted by General_Fritter on May 5, 2008 at 10:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)

That may be true for the general population there JWilly, but ole General Fritter gets his fritters for free. I'm a Tennessee Fritter Man. Happiness is a hot juicy fritter and the worst I ever had was wonderful.