Why would you do this to a guy that your hand picked head coach places so much value in? Rhetorical question.
Seems hard to believe. Think Alleva is pinching pennies? I’m sure fKing discourages spending money on sports. But isn’t athletics fully independent of academics. Annoying. Hope we get another guy who can fill the role.
Pinching pennies, then trying to outbid at the end? Not a good way to demonstrate respect and appreciation. Need to find another guy to fill Alleva’s role.
Coulda just said Corp America. Rarely worked at a place that promotes/ compensates a phenomenal resource for settling for what they are given. That's why changing jobs is so common now. That and millennials.
I'm somewhat skeptical that Alleva would be that involved in the contract of an administrator making $125k a year. An opening happened at UT and Thomas went home. To me, that's the story.
Suddenly LSU's top OL commit JUCO OT Badara Traore is visiting Tennessee on the heels of Grimes leaving and Thomas going to TN.. disappointed Austin chose to do that.
Why? LSU gave him a new title and a raise. The desire to go home to TN was greater than his desire to stay at LSU imo.
Not that he left, no problem with that at all and happy for him. Using his role as our recruiting database builder and basically top talent scout to use that relationship we built with Traore to try and flip him. It sucks given Grimes just left and Traore loved Grimes. I know, it's business and that's how it goes. Still disappointing he'd do that. Not hard to connect the dots on how and why Traore is suddenly visiting the Vols right before signing date. Contrast that with Grimes urging all our OL commits to stay firm to LSU and come no matter what despite being BYU's OC.
Traore knows what to expect at LSU. Doubt he changes this late in the process. Probably just visiting respectfully for AT. Seriously doubt it'll be a game changer. I'm sure O has the new coach reaching out and reassuring the situation.
