Coach Johnny Majors

[fader2103]

Coach Majors has passed away.

Coached DBs here for 3 years in the early 60s. Also was a mentor to Jackie Sherrill.

[Liverpooldawg]

I never liked Phat Phil because of what he did to Majors.

[FISHDAWG]

I never liked Phat Phil because of what he did to Majors.

Majors had a big heart attack and was going to be out for an extended period of time anyway ... What was Fulmer to do - Intentionally lose ?
What coach would come in and not try to get that job ? What administration would demote Fulmer after the success he had ? It was time for Majors to retire anyway but go ahead and hate away

ETA - now I'm kicking myself because I promised myself I would never respond to you again but just couldn't help it here

[Liverpooldawg]

Majors had a big heart attack and was going to be out for an extended period of time anyway ... What was Fulmer to do - Intentionally lose ?
What coach would come in and not try to get that job ? What administration would demote Fulmer after the success he had ? It was time for Majors to retire anyway but go ahead and hate away

ETA - now I'm kicking myself because I promised myself I would never respond to you again but just couldn't help it here

I'm not surprised you approve of it, not at all.

[TopDawg]

Majors had a big heart attack and was going to be out for an extended period of time anyway ... What was Fulmer to do - Intentionally lose ?
What coach would come in and not try to get that job ? What administration would demote Fulmer after the success he had ? It was time for Majors to retire anyway but go ahead and hate away

ETA - now I'm kicking myself because I promised myself I would never respond to you again but just couldn't help it here

I don't think that that is exactly an accurate description of what Fulmer did.

[FISHDAWG]

I don't think that that is exactly an accurate description of what Fulmer did.

he took over the HC role and did good enough for administration to keep him as HC after Majors recovered ... if that is an incorrect assessment then tell me what exactly it was that he did

[msbulldog]

Kicked a good man when he was down.

[dawgoneyall]

Didn't happen exactly like that

[FISHDAWG]

Kicked a good man when he was down.

I'm not knocking Majors - I liked the guy, but what would you expect anyone else to do in that situation ? How did he kick Johnny when he was down ? He took what was handed to him and made the most of it .... the situation might not have been popular but what would you have done.... decline ? Majors returned the next season and lost 3 straight games and was fired by administration ... how is that Fulmer's fault ?

[StarkVegasSteve]

I'm not knocking Majors - I liked the guy, but what would you expect anyone else to do in that situation ? How did he kick Johnny when he was down ? He took what was handed to him and made the most of it .... the situation might not have been popular but what would you have done.... decline ? Majors returned the next season and lost 3 straight games and was fired by administration ... how is that Fulmer's fault ?
I don't think it's the fact that he did it that irked people then and still irks some today, it's how he went about it. Whether correct or not, at the time it was made out that instead of just coming out and saying "You know what I think I've done enough to deserve this job full time" or going and talking to Majors about stepping aside, he went behind his back to boosters and the AD and made sure at the first sign of trouble the job was his. Not unlike what he did during the Pruitt hiring debacle. People forget just how close Tennessee was to having Mike Leach as their HC. Hell, Currie was on the plane and by all accounts was going to hire him. And then Phil had some backroom dealings and ends up the AD.

[Liverpooldawg]

I don't think that that is exactly an accurate description of what Fulmer did.

It's not, but don't bother him with details.

[FISHDAWG]

I don't think it's the fact that he did it that irked people then and still irks some today, it's how he went about it. Whether correct or not, at the time it was made out that instead of just coming out and saying "You know what I think I've done enough to deserve this job full time" or going and talking to Majors about stepping aside, he went behind his back to boosters and the AD and made sure at the first sign of trouble the job was his. Not unlike what he did during the Pruitt hiring debacle. People forget just how close Tennessee was to having Mike Leach as their HC. Hell, Currie was on the plane and by all accounts was going to hire him. And then Phil had some backroom dealings and ends up the AD.

ok so he's a good recruiter** ... I'm not defending his honor or morals - did he stab Majors in the back or was it administration ? ... Or was Majors actually "stabbed" in the back ? Or is it kinda like this Corona crap where there is a lot of unfortunate fallout ? Bottom line is UT lost 3 straight games when Majors returned and folks wanted a change - sound familiar ?

[basedog]

ok so he's a good recruiter** ... I'm not defending his honor or morals - did he stab Majors in the back or was it administration ? ... Or was Majors actually "stabbed" in the back ? Or is it kinda like this Corona crap where there is a lot of unfortunate fallout ? Bottom line is UT lost 3 straight games when Majors returned and folks wanted a change - sound familiar ?

Fish, Fulmer not only stabbed Majors in the back but he ran over him with talk about Majors "flaws like in his drinking and mis conduct in his recruiting" (Imagine that). Fat Phil is scum, Majors gave him his job and yet he did everything he could to destroy Majors reputation. Just saying.

[msbulldog]

Fish, Fulmer not only stabbed Majors in the back but he ran over him with talk about Majors "flaws like in his drinking and mis conduct in his recruiting" (Imagine that). Fat Phil is scum, Majors gave him his job and yet he did everything he could to destroy Majors reputation. Just saying.

That is the fact. You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to basedog again.

[Liverpooldawg]

Fish, Fulmer not only stabbed Majors in the back but he ran over him with talk about Majors "flaws like in his drinking and mis conduct in his recruiting" (Imagine that). Fat Phil is scum, Majors gave him his job and yet he did everything he could to destroy Majors reputation. Just saying.

Yep

[Todd4State]

MSU had a pretty good staff in the early 1960's Majors, Ken Donahue who became Bear Bryant's DC when he was winning National Titles, Jim Carmody, Bill Dooley among others.

[msbulldog]

MSU had a pretty good staff in the early 1960's Majors, Ken Donahue who became Bear Bryant's DC when he was winning National Titles, Jim Carmody, Bill Dooley among others.

Don't forget Darrel Royal and Murray Warmath, all these folks learning coaching on our dime, dammit!

[Dawgfan77]

Had we not fired McKeen. Who knows where MSU football history would have been.