For one of the few times in recent years UT has actually hired an eminently qualified person for an executive position. John Currie our new AD was recently voted the AD of the year in 2013 and was named the 10th best AD in the country in a recent poll. And also kudos to new Chancellor Dr. Beverly Davenport for sticking to her guns and only considering a sitting AD at a Power 5 conference for the position.
The last person we needed for AD was a 67-year-old with no experience as an AD who had been in charge while our most important sport descended into mediocrity. Even though Fulmer flacks like Randy Smith were trying to push his candidacy by emphasizing he had ,"given," 30 years of his life to UT Dr. Davenport stayed the course and hired the most qualified person available. And by the way I thought Fulmer was paid for the whole 30 years he was in Knoxville. Actually rather than "giving ," to UT he, "took," $6 million for four years for doing nothing. And Peyton Manning, who Randy said, "reportedly," was pushing Fulmer for the job and should feel like he was slapped in the face by the hire, looked awfully happy sitting on the first row at the Currie introduction today. Johnny Majors and his wife appeared pleased with the hire too.
David Blackburn has a great future in Sports Administration and I would have had no problems with his hire. However being AD at UTC despite the wonderful job he has done, is not the same as being AD for nine years at a Power 5 Conference school. Showing his class DB sent out a congratulatory letter to Mr Currie today. We haven't heard from Coach Fulmer and he was not seen at the ceremony today.
Douglas Jones
Ooltewah