Perhaps you’ve heard the words before. Something along the lines of “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.”
To that notion, perhaps former University of Tennessee football coach Phillip Fulmer’s supposed dislike for new UT athletic director John Currie has been overstated and maybe it hasn’t. That’s probably best left to the two of them.
Nevertheless, that line about friends and enemies seemed worth repeating following Tuesday’s announcement that Fulmer has been hired as a special adviser to school president Joe DiPietro and that the Hall of Fame coach’s areas of interest will include community, athletics and university relations.
And whether Currie had anything to do with that olive branch – he was quick to give the credit to DiPietro during Tuesday’s news conference – it is yet another example of his savvy and leadership skills that he publicly embraces the return of Fulmer to the Big Orange fold, whatever the AD’s private reservations may be.
Understand, this is the same Fulmer who refused to answer reporters’ questions at a Fellowship of Christian Athletes banquet just south of this city on the day it was announced Currie would be the UT athletic director. Nor did he attend Currie’s introductory news conference.