[WorkHorse]

Much attention has focused on Ohio State and their problems with the NCAA of late. Another school about to face the NCAA firing squad is Tennessee.

University of Tennessee brass, former men's basketball coach Bruce Pearl, former football coach Lane Kiffin and all the other various parties involved in the 12 major violations levied in February's Notice of Allegation are set to appear before the COI next weekend at the NCAA's headquarters in Indianapolis. It's by no means the final step to what's now become a 24-month process, as the COI will not deliver its ruling for at least six weeks after the hearing.

As he did at April's athletic board meeting, athletic director Mike Hamilton stressed that 11 of the 12 major violations are pinned on Pearl, Kiffin and their respective staffs. The University faces a charge of failing to monitor the men's basketball coaching staff's improper phone calls.

Hamilton believes that most of the COI's questions will be directed toward Pearl and Kiffin and their staffs. Stay tuned....................

[BigdaddyQH]

I think the hoops porgram is in a lot more trouble than the football program.

[Wrecktangle]

With all due respect to you, BD, I hope they get Kiffin on a BBQ spit. Frankly, I also hope USC wakes up and throws the bum out before he (further) wrecks their program too. I just don't see USC returning to glory with him at the helm.

[daneblazer]

Unlike Ohio State who let the problem drag on, Tennessee was somewhat proactive. The football program will just get a slap on the wrist.

[BigdaddyQH]

With all due respect to you, BD, I hope they get Kiffin on a BBQ spit. Frankly, I also hope USC wakes up and throws the bum out before he (further) wrecks their program too. I just don't see USC returning to glory with him at the helm.

You are certainly entitled to your opinion my friend, but I think it is tainted with a dislike of Kiffin. Here is how I see it. Dooley seems to be looking for excuses if he has another 6-7 season. Kiffin, who has all the excuses in the world, is willing to play the hand that is dealt him.

USC goes to Oregon, Arizona State and Notre Dame, and hosts Stanford, Utah, Washington, and Arizona. An 8 win season does nothing to hurt Kiffin chances of being back next season. 9 wins guarantees his job for the next 3 seasons. Less than 8 wins may raise a few question marks, depending on how many games USC actually wins.

Tennessee goes to Florida, Alabama, and Arkansas. They also host Georgia, South Carolina and LSU. They can easily lose all 6 of those games. Another 6-6 season probably does not hurt him, but certainly would not help him. Anything less than 6 wins would be very bad for him. The rest of their competition is very weak.

[WorkHorse]

UTMoody, if you fled to Russia or dodging your wife....we understand.

Get back on with your Vols my friend.

You help us keep CFB alive early on...we don't forget Bud.

[Wrecktangle]

BD, after Weis left ND, Kiffin became the guy I love to hate...

[WorkHorse]

Lane Kiffin is certainly not appreciated in the state of Tennessee. He also didn't endure himself to the rest of the SEC schools. I heard they were still making jokes about Kiffin at the SEC coaches meeting.

The SOB almost knocked Alabama out of a national championship. Remember Mt. Cody blocking a winning field goal as the game ended.

[Ch3fDan]

BD, after Weis left ND, Kiffin became the guy I love to hate...

Awesome.

[BigdaddyQH]

The fact remains that Kiffin is not in hot water. You can love to hate him, but the fact is that most people are just jealous of USC's success. I can understand a Michigan fan jumping in here. When was the last time a Michigan team beat USC? I believe you have to go back to 1989.

Getting back to Tennessee and Dooley, the only reason why he got the job was because of his last name and who his daddy is. He was a failure at La. Tech, going 17-20 in three years. He had another losing season last year at Tennessee. His 4 year record is 23-27. That is certainly nothing to brag about. By comparison, Kiffin is 15-11 in two years at Tennessee and USC. I just do not like Head Coaches who look for excuses for having a bad season BEFORE the season even starts.

[AdamL2424]

+1 bd

[BigdaddyQH]

Mike Hamilton is finished at Tennessee. Now what, Vol fans?

[utmoody10]

Mike Hamilton being let go has been long overdue. His saving grace was Bruce Pearl and once that ship sank, the writing was on the wall. I expect the NCAA to levy some penalties against the Vols, with the harsher sanctions being on the basketball side of things. Its definitely been a long rough ride for Vol fans over the past decade. Each major mens sport has seen a coaching change in the past 2 years and now Hamilton is the final piece to the puzzle. One can only hope things can go no place but up from here.

[BigdaddyQH]

Good to see you back. Where have you been? So who does Tennessee go after now to fill their vacant A.D. position. Fulmer? What about promoting Pat Summitt? Anyone else?

[utmoody10]

I do not think that the replacement of Hamilton will be anyone who is of "celebrity" status such as a Fulmer, Summitt or Condredge Holloway. I expect it to be an AD from a smaller conference or an up and coming assistant in a high profile athletic department. The AD position is much more than just the face of athletics and final say in coaching hires. Their business sense must be as keen as their sports sense and I think this is where the Fulmers of the world would fall short. Hamilton while making bad hire after bad hire did do nice things for the campus with the recent renovations to Neyland Stadium and Thompson Boling Arena and was very efficient in fund raising for the department. The new man will have to have a much better balance in the fund raising vs athletic decisions than Hamilton was able to show.

[agharah1]

The fact remains that Kiffin is not in hot water. You can love to hate him, but the fact is that most people are just jealous of USC's success.

I wouldn't say I'm jealous about USC so much as disappointed they never had to face an SEC team to win the title. And the first few years when they were actually competing for championships a lot of it was their weak schedule. People complained when the BCS left them out of the 2004 Sugar Bowl despite being #1 in both polls, but the fact is the BCS did what was asked of it and left an undeserving team that backed into the #1 spot by default despite a weak schedule out of the title game.

If there's one thing to draw from both Jim Tressel and Bruce Pearl its that nowadays schools actually want to keep dirty coaches and they still can't. Compare that to 1997 when Michigan booted Steve Fisher so fast people *still* think Fisher got a raw deal.