May 4, 2006
Fulmer's crackdown: Window dressing?
I called Phil Fulmer's press release regarding the Marvin Mitchell suspension "spin" yesterday because UT included player statements.
Today, Fulmer dismissed reserve DT Raymond Henderson for a second curfew violation (and not talking nice to some Knoxville locals). Despite the tough action, The Tennessean is equally unimpressed with the new, tough-acting Phil Fulmer.
Fulmer realizes part of the problems in a tumultuous 5-6 season was directly related to his refusing to put his foot up some rear ends after incidents began piling up before the season.Players took advantage of the lax, or lack of, discipline.
Now we have two incidents in a week and what happens?
A projected starter gets an indefinite (wink, wink) suspension. A scrub gets booted.
In other words, Fulmer's track record says that he cares more about winning than discipline (ie The Fulmer Cup).
You can kick redshirt backups off the team & issue press releases with unrelated player's saying how they're getting the message until you're blue in the face. Maybe I'm just being too skeptical & Fulmer really has changed his stripes.
But until we see a starter actually face real discipline...it's all window dressing.
Comments:
posted on May 4, 2006 4:12 PM — link — abuse?Kevin Donahue said:
And let me be very clear - if I were Fulmer, I would be shouted from the rooftops that I'm committed to a disciplined team. After the beating he took last year in the media, this is totally the right strategy.
I mean - honestly - if you think about all the out-of-control programs Orson has to choose from (my own FSU, Richt @ UGa, South Carolina & their lineup [pun intended], UT)... and he selects Fulmer to name the "honor". That's damning.
I just want to see more action than talk from Big Phil. Only time will tell, but --for now-- he doesn't deserve the benefit of the doubt, not with that track record.
VOLPIMP said:
posted on May 4, 2006 8:52 PM — 208.0.27.10 — link — abuse?
I agree Kevin he has a ton to prove, tell me what avenue he needs to pursue that will appease the rest of the football world. Zero tolerance? From what I read both guys should get the axe, but we all know that what we read isn't always 100% factual. There may be things we don't know about. There are a ton of coaches who are way more lenient than Fulmer, Bowden being one of the worst in my opinion. I don't think there is a "correct" way for any coach to handle a problem, someone will always disagree.
Joe said:
posted on May 5, 2006 12:50 PM — 65.35.218.18 — link — abuse?
Disciplining starters and star players is always a difficult and tough decision but one that must be made for the integrity of any program.
Sadly, in "the media perception" it seldom works that way. At FSU Bowden has consistently sent players packing for misbehavior but instead of being lauded for those "tough standards" he gets ripped by an extremely "UF controlled" state media.
Just imagine for a moment if those assault rifles were fired by FSU athletes? Bush would be calling for the National Guard in Tally. However, at UF it is treated like "Really its no big deal just a little playful and accidental fun" in Gainesville "Nothing to see here!"
Just like the Keg almost to the head incident.. "Hey the frat guy's head didn't belong there!!"
Until the media stops coddling some schools and condemning those that do the "RIGHT thing" this stuff will continue. Good to hear the Tenn media is not impressed. That is a good sign!! Unfortunately, I can't imagine anything at UF no matter how grevious ever getting such "a TAKE".
Regan said:
posted on May 9, 2006 1:37 PM — 64.53.125.37 — link — abuse?
Every school has issues with its players from time to time. They are in COLLEGE. I did stupid things when I was in college too. It happens at Tennessee, and every other school.
Sometimes treatments vary for reasons we are not given (maybe we don't need/want to know in the first place).
I say give Fulmer's new stance a chance, unless someone can show me a big-time program that has had no bad publicity caused by any of its players in the past decade or so.
But then again, I like the Vols, so I might be biased...
James Bell said:
posted on May 26, 2006 6:24 AM — 12.170.209.132 — link — abuse?
It is very important to the fans and the team for Phil to show that discipline will be enforced to prove his point. If he will displine with an iron fist I truly think that this will get the teams attention. As a dedicated UT fan I am willing to go along with a year or two of losses to get the teams attention. I'm not for critizing Phil unless he doesn't discipline severly when it is necessary. This bring up a second point. Maybe this is why UT can play great in either the first half or the second half of the entire game. For years I have felt that this is a real concern. Come on team let's kick some butt throughout the entire game. I know that we can do it. After all we do have a good head coach and staff.
Josh said:
posted on June 2, 2006 3:24 PM — 66.18.99.201 — link — abuse?
**I don't normally post on these type of things, but I am working on a blog for my company's software and am doing a little "research." I am posting to check out the comment function on this blog.**
That being said, I will go ahead and weigh in on this topic so as not to waste your time. Being a Vol fan and alum myself, I have been a bit disappointed by the seeming lack of discipline on the team in recent seasons. I am not sure if all of the responsibility lies entirely with Fulmer, as there are many coaches on the team who have far more personal contact with, and influence on, these players. It is the lack of on-field discipline that I have found most troubling, but to say the off-the-field discipline is not affected by this would seem a bit naive. I think Fulmer has taken steps to work on the on-field stuff with the coaching changes. Hopefully this will have an impact off the field as well.
I have heard a lot of talk of Fulmer's track record for being too soft and not disciplining players and basing punishment on player talent, etc. Does anyone remember these players: Montrell Jones, Lynn Magruder, Onterrio Smith. All of them started their careers with UT, were booted from the team by Fulmer, and subsequently went on to play for other D1 teams (Jones for Louisville, Magruder for Oklahoma, Smith for Oregon). I know two of them were released due to drug related charges, Smith and Magruder. All of them either started or had significant playing time at those other schools. Heck, Smith was heading toward a starting role at UT before he was cut, started at Oregon, and became a starter in the NFL. And his problems have been well documented, as he is continuing to get into trouble in the NFL. So there are at least 3 other college coaches out there with lower standards than Fulmer and UT (one of which won a National Championship) who must want to win more than anything else. The decision to cut a player is not always based on talent.
The reality is that all big-time college programs have problems with their athletes. That's because these kids have been enable their whole lives because of their athleticism and have not been held accountable for anything. This is not their fault. They were brought up in a society where many things come easier for athletes and there is a different set of rules. We have all seen this in our high schools and/or colleges. When the occasions arise that they run into "regular people rules", it makes headlines. Compound this with the normal spurt of independence and rebelliousness that is characteristic of college students, then you sometimes get out-of-control situations.
Don't get me wrong, I am not condoning the system. That's just the way it is. Having been a student at a school where academics is often overshadowed by athletics, and at the same time being a big college football fan, I find it frustrating that I loyally support the athletic endeavors of a team full of players, many of whom have no business in the same classroom with other deserving college students. I went too UT on an academic scholarship. Why didn't I get to play football?
What I guess I'm saying is that if you're going to evaluate Fulmer's administration of the team, do so from within the framework of the system. Compare apples to apples. Yeah, he may not be the best in terms of disciplinary issues, but he is certainly not the worst.
VolArmy said:
posted on August 19, 2006 11:51 PM — 66.171.116.141 — link — abuse?
Kevin is an idiot. Coach Fulmer has released more first string players than any top D1A coach that I know of. Every program has problems with young college players. Phil Fulmer has the guts to do something about it. Get your facts straight instead of just mouthing off.
posted on August 20, 2006 8:17 AM — link — abuse?
Yeah guys, it's probably just me picking on Fulmer. Oh, but wait, isn't that quote above from The Tennessean??? Gee whiz, you mean I'm not the only one that will point out Fulmer's weak track history on discipline?!
Vol Fans - Fulmer's "discipline" is a smoke-screen and a farce. Go and Google "Fulmer Cup" and you'll see that every other D1 team is laughing at "tough" Phil.
Kyle Flanagan said:
posted on November 6, 2006 7:07 PM — 68.219.222.211 — link — abuse?
Fulmer is a coach and loves his job, its part of not only his job but his life. Fulmer loves winning, he gets paid to coach the football team just like every over coach and if they do not win they do not keep their jobs. Therefore after going 5-6, not going to a bowl, and losing to Vandebilt of course he wants to win, dumbasses. GO VOLS!
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View from Rocky Top said:
posted on May 4, 2006 1:08 PM — 66.168.91.18 — link — abuse?Kevin, you may very well be right, but there is a key difference between the two players besides their potential contribution to wins. The projected starter who was merely suspended hadn't been in trouble in his four (maybe five) years in the program, and the guy who was kicked off the team had already received one or two warnings for prior offenses in only a couple of years in the program.
Plus, Fulmer has kicked good players off the team in recent years, including star receiver James Banks and co-starting quarterback Brent Schaeffer.
The disparate treatment this week certainly smells a little funny, but I think there's at least some support for it.