The Bodda Getta

Your original question was, and I quote: "How in the hell is Tennessee a more prestigious program than Auburn?"

Now, if you'd have asked "How in the hell is Tennessee considered a better program in the last 12 years?" I wouldn't have responded.

Everything I posted is factually correct, and those are reasons why Tennessee could legitmately be considered a more successful - and therefore prestigious - program that Auburn. I could've also added how the national perception of their athletic department as a whole is considerably higher than ours, but I assumed you were limiting the discussion to football only.

It's my opinion that the knee-jerk reaction to any perceived slight on AU's football program relative to our SEC brethren is a large part of why we keep finding ourselves in the situation we are in currently. It certainly might explain why our last two Athletic Directors seem to have been hired based on a search limited to candidates located within 100 feet of the Lovelace Museum.

And finally - douchebag? Was that really necessary?

I don't know about that. Ultimately, the only perception that matters in this instance would be that of the prospective HC candidates.

I would think that UT would be a better situation from a competitive standpoint. Up until the last three years, they have consistently recruited better than AU, despite their geographical/demographic limitations. They have the advantage of being in a much larger media market, without significant in-state competition for fans (two things that AU will never, ever have).

And most importantly from a short-term perspective, they are playing in what can be easily argued as the weaker of the two SEC divisions. The path to the SECCG should be much less challenging for UT than for AU over the next 3-4 years.

Both schools will probably offer similar contract terms. If I were a hotshot HC, I don't think I'd see AU as a clear-cut 'better' job.

What may further complicate things is if UGa decides to part ways with Richt at the end of the year -then we'd have four of the top seven SEC teams looking for new HCs at the same time. That might give us a more accurate idea of how the AU job is perceived.

Typical.

Cargo on, bruh!

Mike Hamilton says Hi

Mike Hamilton (born on August 13, 1963 in Brevard, North Carolina) is the former Men's Director of Athletics at the University of Tennessee. Hamilton replaced Doug Dickey in 2003, becoming the school's seventh men's athletic director.[1] (The University of Tennessee and The University of Texas at Austin are the only remaining NCAA Division I schools with separate men's and women's athletic departments.)

A graduate of Clemson University, Hamilton had been on the university's athletic staff for 11 years prior to his hiring.[2][3]

In 1998, the National Association of Athletic Development Directors named him Fundraiser of the Year.[4]

On June 7, 2011, Mike Hamilton resigned from his position as the Athletic Director at the University of Tennessee following months of pressure stemming from sanctions levied against the Tennessee basketball program and numerous head coaching changes in the school's major sports. Hamilton's duties as an AD were tested when he decided to fire longtime Tennessee football coach Phillip Fulmer. Fulmer was one of Tennessee's winningest head coaches at the time of his dismissal and although many called for his firing after two losing seasons in four years there were also just as many in his support. Hamilton chose Lane Kiffin as Tennessee's next head coach in December 2008. Many did not believe Kiffin to be the best hire as there were other highly rated potential candidates at the time not to mention Kiffin's controversial history with past coaching jobs. Hamilton's decision would be disastrous as after only one season at Tennessee Kiffin resigned to take the same job at the University of Southern California. Hamilton hired Derek Dooley following Kiffin's departure, a position Dooley still holds today. The pressure would come to a boil in March 2011 when in the middle of the NCAA's investigation into sactions against basketball coach Bruce Pearl and but one day before the team was scheduled to face the Michigan Wolverines in the second round of the 2011 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, Hamilton announced that Pearl's status as coach going into the game was not certain and at season's end he would be evaluated. Hamilton was scrutinized for making this statement before the team played in the tournament as the pressure it would put on the team may have been the deciding factor in their lopsided 30 point loss to the Wolverines the following day. On the Monday following the game Pearl was dismissed from Tennessee and not soon after Hamilton announced his resignation.

But here's what you cannot do. You cannot be one of those "Auburn family," "all-in" guys who praised Chizik's integrity while looking down your nose at Saban and, yes, Petrino. You can't have it both ways. Sort of reminds me of the old joke that ends, "We have determined what you are, young lady, we are now just haggling over the price." Fire Chizik, hire integrity or lose it.

I haven't. If you'll look back through some of my posts, I have been called a Bammer, troll, etc etc etc because I gave credit where credit was due. There is no disputing the fact that Saban is the best coach in college football. Period. He has created a dynasty there now and there isn't an end in site. I didn't like Petrino after what he did to the Falcons, but I got over it and realized he is the best option for our program and it's not even close. He is the only one that could come in and go toe to toe with Saban. And yes, I realize he didn't beat Saban at Arkansas, but come on....it's Arkansas. Auburn has a lot more resources at it's disposal.

To be honest, I would hire Saban in a heartbeat if it were even remotely possible.