Gruden not going To Tennessee: Nobody but Vol fans shocked

((ht: @jimmyhyams))

We've purposely tried to stay away from talking too much about coaching rumors, partially because they are mostly not true.

But we wanted to mention this.

Reports from UT Radio Reporter Jimmy Hyams now say that Jon Gruden told Tennessee officials last week he is NOT a candidate for a job there and has NEVER been offered a contract.

Shocked?

Only if you are a UT fan.

This comes on the heels of yet another stray, "sources say" report from Chattanooga that Gruden was "Mulling" an offer from the school and the only hold-up was paying his assistants what he thought they were worth.

Read the Times-Free-Press story RIGHT HERE

Bwahahaha! We are laughing, but at the same time, we'd really like to know who puts this stuff out there. Is it the "Pipe Dream" faction? Is it delusional alumni? Or is it reporters trying to scoop each other?

Of course there was the even more bizarre story from Glenn Carver of WREG-TV in Memphis. You'll recall Mr. Carver saying that Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam offered Gruden a share of the team in addition to what UT would pay him.

Of course everyone involved denied it. Immediately.

You can read it RIGHT HERE

For a better perspective, read OUR story earlier this week about Stupid Coaching rumors RIGHT HERE

To summarize all of this: We believe that either Tennessee AD Dave Hart or an emissary of the school reached out to Gruden and asked if he's interested. And Gruden thought about it for a bit. And decided smartly, that it wasn't a good idea.

But it is just mind boggling to us the rumors that continue to fly about Gruden and others. It appears the reporters, alumni and others just can't help themselves.

Heck, we saw the original tweet about Les Miles too, but didn't report it, because we knew it would turn out to either be not true or a ploy for a pay raise. And that's exactly what it was.

Anyway, we'll get off our horses and unfortunately you'll be on your own to decide what is true and what isn't because the sports reporters giving you the information may or may not be correct.

DEVELOPING: Derek Dooley Done... Dave Hart Was Complimentary, Though...

Not that this is a surprise, especially after the losses to Missouri in Knoxville and Vanderbilt last night...

A very handy Vandy win at that, 41-18...

Here is a statement from Derek Dooley and from the school on the firing...

The University of Tennessee announced today that Derek Dooley will not return as the head football coach of the Vols. The announcement was made by Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Dave Hart, who will immediately begin a search for a new head coach for the Vols.

Hart will address the media at 2 p.m. today (Sunday, Nov. 18) at the Stokely Family Media Center at Neyland Stadium. The press conference will also be streamed live on UTSports.com.

"We very much appreciate the effort and energy that Derek Dooley and his staff have poured into our football program at the University of Tennessee," said Hart. "Derek and I met early this morning, and I informed him that I believed a change in leadership, despite the positive contributions he has made to the overall health of the program, was in the best long-term interests of Tennessee football. We will immediately begin the search for the best possible candidate to assume this leadership role."

Dooley will not coach the Vols in the season finale against Kentucky on Saturday, Nov. 24 at 12:21 p.m. Offensive coordinator Jim Chaney will serve as interim head coach for Saturday's game.

"I am sorry we could not generate enough wins to create hope for a brighter future," said Dooley. "Although progress was not reflected in our record, I am proud of the strides we made to strengthen the foundation for future success in all areas of the program.

"During the last 34 months, I've given my all for Tennessee, and our family appreciates all this University and the Knoxville community has given us."

Here was Dooley after the worst loss to Vandy since 1923...
((HT: WVLT-TV Knoxville))
WVLT VOLUNTEER TV Knoxville, TN:

UPDATE: Here was AD Dave Hart talking about Dooley only being able to bring a knife to a gunfight...
((HT: WBIR-TV Knoxville))

Summitt Backs Jennings In Lawsuit Against UTK

((HT: WBIR-TV Knoxville))

For those of you new to this ballgame...

Anyone who covered Tennessee Volunteer athletics over the last three-and-a-half DECADES knows Debby Jennings. She was a pioneer at the school and in the posititons she held- which, eventually, led to a Associate Athletics Director for Media Relations responsibility.

In May, she was "retiring" from the posititon. Now, it has come to light that:

1) Jennings is in the process of suing the school for "unlawful discrimination and retaliation." She wants a trial by jury, monetary relief, and injunctive relief.

2) Through her attorney David Burkhalter, Jennings is also asking for a court order to require UT Athletic Director Dave Hart and and unnamed amount of others involved with the program to undergo "appropriate diversity and ethics training."

One of the affidavits in the case backing Jennings comes from UT head women's basketball coach emeritus Pat Summitt. Summitt's paperwork claims that she was initially forced out as head coach when the public perception was that she was stepping aside after her initial diagnosis of early-onset dementia.

From the affidavit concerning a meeting with Hart on March 14:

"During this one-on-one meeting, Dave Hart indicated to me that I would not be coaching the Lady Vol Basketball Team in the next school year and he planned to name Holly Warlick as the head coach. Dave Hart told me I would still have an office in Thompson-Boling Arena and my title could be Head Coach Emeritus. This was very surprising to me and very hurtful as that was a decision I would have liked to have made on my own at the end of the season after consulting with my family, doctors, colleagues, and friends and not be told this by Mr. Hart. I felt it was wrong."

But, later in the affidavit claims that in a subsequent meeting with Hart, he claimed that Summitt misinterpreted his remarks from the first meeting.

Here's the early story on the Jennings lawsuit...

The HQ is certain that this is far from over...

Summitt Officially Steps Aside

((HT: WBIR-TV/ESPN))

Today on the court that was named after her, the University of Tennessee announced that Pat Summitt was stepping aside to become Head Coach Emeritus for the Lady Vols.

Here's part of her opening statement from The Summitt


And WBIR-TV quickly put together a half-hour special...