“Terry Fair Burns It Down”

Fair was on Pruitt’s staff in 2017.  Jeremy didn’t make a good impression.

  • “Everything that went on with that program, to me it was was not a surprise what happened. [That was] one of the huge reasons that I made the decision not to stay on board, probably one of the best decisions I made.”
  • “I thought coming home was going to be the right thing, but in hindsight, it ended up being the worst thing.”
  • “Probably the best decision I made was to leave here and get out from under that Pruitt era because I was miserable as a coach.”
  • “I probably did more as a quality control [coach] when I was at UT under Butch Jones and Willie Martinez in my responsibilities and what I was allowed to do than when I came back, which was very disappointing.”
  • “There were a lot of great coaches on that staff. If you allow coaches to do what they have to do to be successful you’re going to get the development from players you’re looking for. I think the reason you haven’t seen many players develop (at Tennessee) is because those coaches hadn’t been really able to take players under their wing and do the things they were brought here to do.”
  • “You (Pruitt) haven’t allowed me to be myself since I’ve been here whether it’s coaching or on the recruiting trail.”

I guess the only coach Pruitt gave room to operate was Phil Fulmer.

55 Comments

Filed under Because Nothing Sucks Like A Big Orange

55 responses to ““Terry Fair Burns It Down”

  1. Another week, another reason to post:

    Liked by 3 people

  2. Down Island Way

    Dough-nut-hole phil had scripted the take over, he had maneuvered pruitt to the fired list but didn’t anticipate the investigation being out of control, he actually thought that issue was sustainable from within…thusly, his dream of being the hc at big urnge cuntry has now retired…LULU and JUNIOR are saddened that the rest of the world isn’t mad/sad by this turn of events…they have now exited the Hot-N-Fresh rehab center and enjoying each others company, a dozen a day…

    Liked by 6 people

    • You know, this seems like such an easy, and almost stereotypical reaction, and your mind wants to say it is far out on the conspiratorial scale and can’t be true.

      Then you stop and think about it, and it is almost the only scenario left. There should have been no surprises with Pruitt, and even with his perceived skills as a DC, all of the baggage, both rumored AND verified, should have almost disqualified him from ever being a head coach….anywhere.

      I think Fulmer played this perfectly with the exception of underestimating Pruitt’s stupidity. I think he ordered the code red (McDonalds bags) and didn’t realize cJP would go as happy meal with them as he did. I also believe the Georgia accusations were a rumor thrown to a reporter to try and deflect the severity of what was happening at UT, and leave enough standing to let Phil step in.

      Liked by 1 person

    • ericstrattonrushchairmandamngladtomeetyou

      “A dozen EACH a day.” FTFY

      Like

  3. gastr1

    The only real pleasure left in this is for them to go 0-12 next year, but alas, the schedule is so bound and bought with cupcakes that they’ll likely fall into a couple of wins.

    Liked by 3 people

  4. TEXBaller

    I thought this was going to be about SW Macon Terry Fair 😦

    Liked by 9 people

  5. timphd

    Best part of the linked article is the conviction with which the author notes the bright future of Tenn now. Color me skeptical.

    Liked by 3 people

  6. Godawg

    Ahh…the schadenfreude:

    “Crease1988
    18 hrs
    Forget the projected depth chart on both sides of the ball for the fall of 2021
    What does the list of players who have left via NLI release, decommits a d transfer portal look like as of today. What is it going to take for Danny White to realize his HC decision already has him on the Hot Seat. It’s not like the new HC or his current staff are world beaters on the recruiting trail to make up for the talent that walked out the door.”

    “frederwin
    18 hrs
    So much for Coach H’s new staff keeping a great class together. Losing these recruits, on top of several top players jetting out via the transfer portal doesn’t speak too highly of the UCF brain trust. Thank goodness for one of the weakest schedules coming up this fall.”

    Like

  7. originaluglydawg

    We’re in the “dead period” and while a big ol’ Hillbilly funeral pyre would be entertaining…
    Terry didn’t exactly “burn it all down”.
    More like he struck a match and backed off touching it to the tinder.
    Mostly just innuendo and expressed hard feelings (whining).
    We wanna see somebody with bad intentions and a flamethrower.
    JP and his lawyers should at least be toting a large gas can around with them. The real juice being in that can.
    It’s probably for sale.
    I can’t believe Phil slinked quietly away.

    Liked by 2 people

  8. 3rdandGrantham

    The fifth bullet point regarding micro-managing, for me anyway, was the worst of it. I see it all the time in corporate america, when various division leaders come in and micro-manage everything to death, thus quickly waiting to disaster and your best people heading out the door.

    Hire good people, give them what they need, and get the hell out of the way.

    Liked by 3 people

    • I imagine that’s a hard thing to grasp when you’re a first time head coach in the SEC, or, in Pruitt’s case, anywhere.

      Liked by 5 people

      • 3rdandGrantham

        Not to mention his personality traits to begin with. Average IQ + low EQ + unchecked ego w/anger issues in a leadership position = unmitigated disaster.

        Good management is akin to good sports officiating….most of the time, you should hardly know they are even there.

        Liked by 1 person

        • Corch Irvin Meyers, Former Jags Corch (2024)

          Average IQ?

          AVERAGE IQ???

          Like

          • originaluglydawg

            Corch..to be fair, some of the smartest people I’ve known used terrible English and couldn’t speak well. That’s not to say JP is smart. I don’t know if he is or not. But beware of “Country Fucks” and especially never get in an argument with one.
            JP’s done a lot better ($) than I have, that’s for sure.
            And as for the rumors that he is a hot head, there is evidence both ways. The fact that Phil Fulmer never showed up with black eyes and a broken nose would indicate “maybe not”. But his record at UGA? ..”maybe so”.
            A more looming indicator of his lack of intelligence would be his willingness to accept a job working for and with Phil Fulmer. That was a mistake.
            In any case, I’m now on JP’s side because the enemy of my enemy is my friend. I hope he takes UT to the cleaners and Fulmer (if he has dirt on his hands) is exposed.

            Like

            • Corch Irvin Meyers, Former Jags Corch (2024)

              Beware in confusing “football smarts” with actual intelligence.

              Pruitt is a moron. He can coach a defense, but he’s a moron.

              Like

            • Salty Dawg

              I’ll give ya another example of his temper, original – Germy was kicking the whiteboards in front of his players, on national tv his first year when we played them. He became unhinged!

              Liked by 1 person

    • ASEF

      Crisis management. With the understanding that Fulmer as AD is basically nonstop crisis mentality. I imagine in the cutthroat world of SEC football, most programs operate under that kind of stress.

      Some managers in crisis micromanage defer to their need to control and turn everyone into completely dependent actors, no initiative. Which has the ultimate effect of rendering your org brittle and unable to adapt in real-time. Eventually it shatters.

      Some managers just check out and don’t set a vision, which leaves a bunch of independent operators colliding with each rather than a team working efficiently. Chaos. Things fall apart.

      It’s a surprisingly difficult balance to strike, sort of like walking a tight rope.

      You can kinda see Kirby trying to find the right balance for himself and his program over the years. He’s getting there.

      And Aaron deserves a pat on the back for nailing the fact that Jeremy is incapable of the sort of self-reflection necessary to find that balance and run a SEC program.

      Liked by 1 person

  9. I may be at risk of beating this dead horse into a fine pulp, but it’s still funny to me: Phil Fulmer made all of this happen. Pruitt was his can’t-miss hire, his genius plan to return Tennessee (and by extension, himself) to glory. Three years later, UT is under NCAA investigation and staring up Kentucky’s anus in the SEC East.

    Liked by 8 people

  10. spur21

    Wish someone would interview Daddy 9 Fingers and his two boys. They are surely looking around thinking WTF.

    Liked by 5 people

  11. Corch Irvin Meyers, Former Jags Corch (2024)

    I’m here for eternally-burning Dumpster Fire that is Tennessee Vawls Football.

    It will never not be funny, and no, unlike some foolish Dawgs out there, I don’t hope they get better soon because the “SEC is better when Tennessee is good” which is all a bunch of bullshit.

    Fuck those stupid hillbillies.

    Like

    • The only phrase I hate more than “football is just better when [insert team here]” is good is “you just have to root for [insert team/player/coach here].” Buddy, I don’t have to do squat except pay taxes and die. Which is all to say that, yeah, I’m fine with the Vols being terrible for another, oh, three decades or so.

      Liked by 2 people

      • charlottedawg

        Three decades? How about eternity. As a georgia fan and alum I don’t root for ANYBODY else in the sec to experience any success, ever. If florida, tennessee and Auburn went winless every year that’d be awesome. Miami in the 80s, Florida state in the 90s, USC in the aughts and Clemson now show that there ain’t nothing wrong with dominating a weak conference year in and year out. I wish zero success to our sec brethren, there are many arenas in life that aren’t zero sum, sec football ain’t one of them.

        Liked by 1 person

    • Texas Dawg

      I WAS one of those that wanted all the teams in the SEC to be strong, but UGA to be a little stronger. I thought that would give us a better resume to get invited to the big party. Well, Clemson has proven that is not necessary. Beat the hell out of a lot of cupcakes (in and out of conference) and put up gaudy numbers in the process. That appears to be the correct formula. You are less likely to suffer the upset. Your starters get to rest most of the 2nd half of games so they are fresher at the end of the season and the back ups get a lot of game experience. Since the starters are on the bench more, a devastating injury to a key player is less likely to occur. They have proven that beating a really good team 21-17 in a slugfest is no better than pummeling a conference bottom dweller (that describes almost the entire ACC) 56-3.

      Liked by 2 people

      • Thats never been the case. You take advantage of the times your opponents are down. T kyle was writing about that 20 years ago. Running a gauntlet lives you tired and injured. With no time for 2 deep.

        Liked by 1 person

        • All true, but would you pay for season tickets to Clemson’s schedule?

          Check’s Georgia schedule, scratches head, now wonders if above statement makes sense.

          Liked by 3 people

          • Look at Bama’s schedules under Saban. How often you see big openers and big OOC? Frankly, being a Tide fan is boring, but it wins rings.

            Like

            • charlottedawg

              Well…. alabama plays two top 4 ooc games around new year’s almost every single year,…..so they have that…..oh and a top 5 sec game almost every December……

              Also alabama opened with louisville in 2018, FSU in 2017, USC in 2016, Wisconsin in 2015, west virginia in 2014, virginia tech in 2013 and michigan in 2012. So the sentiment they avoid legit out of conference opponents is um, completely not supported by facts…..

              Like

              • so, one game in a year, and you through in the post season which was not the topic. And you are counting Louisville, FSU, USC, VT? lol, laughable. OOOH, Bama played FSU! And WV? lol. comical.

                Like

          • Texas Dawg

            No. Alabama has trouble KEEPING people in the seats (see Saban’s previous rants) but that has not slowed down the NC train.

            Like

      • But part of using your argument (and I am not disputing it), has to be that when you get up big and put the subs in, you LET THEM PLAY.

        Our blowouts turn into letting our 4th string tailback get 14 carries.

        Liked by 4 people

    • originaluglydawg

      True. And Clemson has shown that coming out of a weak conference is not big deal to “The Committee”.

      Like

  12. debbybalcer

    I am not one to wish bad things on anyone but the way Pruitt behaved towards Richt and Richt’s classy handling of it stands in stark contrast with what is coming out of Knoxville. I thought that his temperament at UGA was a big flaw in a coach and it is blowing up on them.

    Liked by 2 people

  13. tiredofidsearch

    I thought Terry Fair was a Georgia basketball player in the 80’s…….

    Like

  14. stoopnagle

    I’m shocked!

    Like