KNOXVILLE — At least one prominent University of Tennessee athletic booster told the Times Free Press on Monday that he didn’t agree with the decision not to retain Phillip Fulmer next season as head football coach.
“It’s a painful day for me, and for the Fulmer family, and I think for Tennessee athletics,” John “Thunder” Thornton said via cell phone Monday afternoon. “I don’t agree with the change.”
Thornton — a prominent Chattanooga-area businessman, former UT board of trustees member and close friend of Fulmer — said those wanting Fulmer replaced “better be careful what they wished for.”
“He will be just fine, but I’m not sure about the University of Tennessee athletics department,” Thornton said. “At best, Tennessee is the fifth best job in the SEC. You’re behind from day one Alabama, LSU, Georgia and Florida, and some could argue Auburn, just from the basis of recruiting. There are so many more SEC-level student-athletes in-state for all of those schools ... and I don’t think there’s a better recruiter than Phillip Fulmer.
“And that’s just what the Tennessee job demands.”
Thornton said he was financially supporting only the UT women’s basketball program until Fulmer replaced Johnny Majors full-time in 1993. He was the lead donor for several buildings on campus, most notably the Thornton Athletics Student Life Center for academics.
“Phillip (grabbed) me by the arm one day and walked me through the indoor complex,” Thornton said. “He showed me 20 or 30 football players sitting on the field studying while cheerleaders and baseball players were trying to practice on the same field. He looked me square in the eyes and said, ‘We’ve got to have a student-athlete academic center to give these kids the best chance to have success. We ask too much of them not to give them every advantage we possibly can.’
“Truth be told, they ought to call it the Fulmer center, not the Thornton center. He was always one who served his players as total student-athletes. Recruiting didn’t inspire that building. Doing the best thing for his student-athletes did.”
A UT spokesperson said athletic director Mike Hamilton would have no comment on Thornton’s statements, but another added that Hamilton “didn’t expect everyone to be happy today.”
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I hope Mike Hamilton gets the ax !! Letting Phillip go was stpuid. Can you do everything right all the time Mike ? I know one thing, you had better make sure you don't bring in someone who can't win right NOW !! Because if you do we as fans will not attend the games and your head will be on the chopping block !! Hope you have nothing but bad luck Mr.H.
Fans have already stopped going to the games. I remember when even the idea of trying to buy from scalpers was prohibitively expensive. My brother paid 10 bucks for a ticket last week. I hate to say it, but fans have voted on the current state of Tennesse football by keeping their butts out of the seats at Neyland Stadium. An AD has to look at that fact and decided whether or not to keep gonig with his coach, no matter how long that coach has been there or how successful he's been in that time.
That said, I am sad to see Fulmer go. I also think it's probably time. I wish him well and hope there are great things ahead for the Vols!
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