Well, the Phil Fulmer assistant to the president saga continues.
Now, UT wants us to believe that Phil, in fact, had not officially accepted the job, he was only considering it. And he has declined the position. I'm CERTAIN it's mere coincidence that, after the PR backlash, he decided he didn't want to take the cushy $12,500-per-month position, but rather a volunteer gig. Yeah right!
I love my alma mater, but we seem to have a terrible streak of stupid presidents this past decade. This is yet another exhibit in the stupid president gallery.
Can someone check Pat Summitt's calendar and see if there's any way she'd have time to squeeze in UT president along with her coaching duties?
Friday, December 12, 2008
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
More on "Special Assistant" Fulmer
I don't think I even need to give commentary. I'm simply going to post links to two separate articles that appeared in yesterday's Knoxville News Sentinel.
Specifics of the $6 million buyout
Irate UT Faculty
That first one has inspired me. I think I'm going to perform so poorly on my job that I get fired, then demand that I still be paid my full salary for the next 48 months, while the league also assumes my car payment for that period. It's an ingenious plan, really.
Specifics of the $6 million buyout
Irate UT Faculty
That first one has inspired me. I think I'm going to perform so poorly on my job that I get fired, then demand that I still be paid my full salary for the next 48 months, while the league also assumes my car payment for that period. It's an ingenious plan, really.
Monday, December 8, 2008
I Need to Find My Christmas Cheer
Probably not a great idea to make a blog entry when I'm cranky, but alas, I got two things to complain about:
1.) I am beyond irked with Brighthouse Networks. OVER them. First, they hijack our DVR a couple of months ago and fill it with software that is crappy at best. Slow. Hard to navigate. Annoying. Those are just a few words I would choose to describe the "upgrade" to our box.
If that weren't enough to put a bee in my bonnet, tonight I get home from work to find that a grand total of about six channels are functioning. All the others are black. I tried to call customer service, but all I get is the obnoxious busy tone. I'm sure they just quit answering the phones after the first dozen or so irate customers. Hey BH, here's a suggestion. If you don't want irate callers, offer decent service!
2.) As I sit her surfing the net since I can only choose between Jeopardy and Dr. Phil at the moment, I run upon a Knoxville News Sentinel article noting that Phil Fulmer has been hired for a three-month stint as "special assistant to the president." OK. I'd be fine with that fact alone. I'm in favor of Fulmer having some official capacity (besides football coach) at UT for years to come.
Herein lies my gripe. This little gig is slated to pay ol' Phil $12,500 per month. ARE YOU SERIOUS?!!! The article alleges that the money is coming from private contributors, but I really don't care. For him to be taking home $12,500 a month when he's already set to collect nearly $7 million to do ABSOLUTELY NOTHING after running our football program into the ground is absolute nonsense.
Go look on the job listings at utk.edu right now. You'll see most every position, including those for which they require or prefer a college degree, pays $10 an hour or less. A well-paid staffer at UT is taking home far less in an entire year than money bags Fulmer will make in just three months as a "special assistant."
Folks, I think that's garbage. Absolute garbage. The real workers on campus are scraping by with part of their annual salary going to pay for a campus parking pass, mind you, and the already filthy-rich Fulmer's making $12,500 a month. That's just wrong.
The older I get, the more I see it's true...the rich really do get richer.
1.) I am beyond irked with Brighthouse Networks. OVER them. First, they hijack our DVR a couple of months ago and fill it with software that is crappy at best. Slow. Hard to navigate. Annoying. Those are just a few words I would choose to describe the "upgrade" to our box.
If that weren't enough to put a bee in my bonnet, tonight I get home from work to find that a grand total of about six channels are functioning. All the others are black. I tried to call customer service, but all I get is the obnoxious busy tone. I'm sure they just quit answering the phones after the first dozen or so irate customers. Hey BH, here's a suggestion. If you don't want irate callers, offer decent service!
2.) As I sit her surfing the net since I can only choose between Jeopardy and Dr. Phil at the moment, I run upon a Knoxville News Sentinel article noting that Phil Fulmer has been hired for a three-month stint as "special assistant to the president." OK. I'd be fine with that fact alone. I'm in favor of Fulmer having some official capacity (besides football coach) at UT for years to come.
Herein lies my gripe. This little gig is slated to pay ol' Phil $12,500 per month. ARE YOU SERIOUS?!!! The article alleges that the money is coming from private contributors, but I really don't care. For him to be taking home $12,500 a month when he's already set to collect nearly $7 million to do ABSOLUTELY NOTHING after running our football program into the ground is absolute nonsense.
Go look on the job listings at utk.edu right now. You'll see most every position, including those for which they require or prefer a college degree, pays $10 an hour or less. A well-paid staffer at UT is taking home far less in an entire year than money bags Fulmer will make in just three months as a "special assistant."
Folks, I think that's garbage. Absolute garbage. The real workers on campus are scraping by with part of their annual salary going to pay for a campus parking pass, mind you, and the already filthy-rich Fulmer's making $12,500 a month. That's just wrong.
The older I get, the more I see it's true...the rich really do get richer.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Thanksgiving and a New Era in Tennessee Football
It might be a little odd to combine Thanksgiving and a new Tennessee football coach into a single post, but alas, for the sake of time, I shall.
I'll take Thanksgiving first. I would be remiss if I didn't say how much I enjoyed Thanksgiving this year! I'd had to spend the last two Thanksgivings working Division III soccer, so just having the entire weekend off was a blessing unto itself! I joined Carrie's family in Port Orange Wednesday through Saturday evening. It was a great time, and Carrie's mom prepares one heckuva feast!
With the weather being sunny and mild, we took the boat to Disappearing Island for a picnic on Friday. We wore pants and the wind was chilly enough to prompt jackets when the boat was moving, but it was a beautiful afternoon. The weather was much the same on Saturday, and Carrie had the idea to go to the Ponce Inlet lighthouse, which was fun. The view was spectacular, and heavens knows I needed to climb all those steep steps to work off the loads of food I'd consumed for three days!
So now it's officially on to Christmas season, which is always a fun...and busy... time of the year.
And now, to Lane Kiffin. As most sports fans have likely heard, my alma mater tabbed 33-year-old Kiffin as the next head coach at UT. I really don't have a strong opinion one way or the other at this point. Obviously, I hope he does a stellar job, but we won't know how it will all shake out for at least a couple of years, I imagine.
That stated, I'll tell you one thing I do know: Close-ups of Coach Kiffin on the sidelines will be far more pleasant than those of Coach Fulmer! I mean, the guy's essentially my age, and let's call it as it is, he's not bad to look at! Here's hoping his coaching skills match his face! ;-P
Also speaking of the change in regime in Big Orange Country...I'm glad Phil Fulmer went out with a pair of victories. I was among his critics, but it was great to see him carried off Shields Watkins Field on the shoulders of his players, a win going down as the final note in his lengthy chapter at the helm. Fulmer had some great teams and coached some ultra talented players, and we can only hope we're headed back to those days!
I'll take Thanksgiving first. I would be remiss if I didn't say how much I enjoyed Thanksgiving this year! I'd had to spend the last two Thanksgivings working Division III soccer, so just having the entire weekend off was a blessing unto itself! I joined Carrie's family in Port Orange Wednesday through Saturday evening. It was a great time, and Carrie's mom prepares one heckuva feast!
With the weather being sunny and mild, we took the boat to Disappearing Island for a picnic on Friday. We wore pants and the wind was chilly enough to prompt jackets when the boat was moving, but it was a beautiful afternoon. The weather was much the same on Saturday, and Carrie had the idea to go to the Ponce Inlet lighthouse, which was fun. The view was spectacular, and heavens knows I needed to climb all those steep steps to work off the loads of food I'd consumed for three days!
So now it's officially on to Christmas season, which is always a fun...and busy... time of the year.
And now, to Lane Kiffin. As most sports fans have likely heard, my alma mater tabbed 33-year-old Kiffin as the next head coach at UT. I really don't have a strong opinion one way or the other at this point. Obviously, I hope he does a stellar job, but we won't know how it will all shake out for at least a couple of years, I imagine.
That stated, I'll tell you one thing I do know: Close-ups of Coach Kiffin on the sidelines will be far more pleasant than those of Coach Fulmer! I mean, the guy's essentially my age, and let's call it as it is, he's not bad to look at! Here's hoping his coaching skills match his face! ;-PAlso speaking of the change in regime in Big Orange Country...I'm glad Phil Fulmer went out with a pair of victories. I was among his critics, but it was great to see him carried off Shields Watkins Field on the shoulders of his players, a win going down as the final note in his lengthy chapter at the helm. Fulmer had some great teams and coached some ultra talented players, and we can only hope we're headed back to those days!
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