The CheckerBoard

I believe the 2nd half of the Vanderbilt game forced the AD's hand. I would have preferred the announcement of the dismissal could have waited until this Sunday so that Coach Dooley could have finished up Saturday. However, I can see how everything had to work out the way it did.

I think that's kinda harsh. Hart himself said Dooley was "given a short stick to go into battle with" while he was at UT. He took over the program with few scholarship players on the roster and got grey hairs building it back up again. It sounds pretty believable to me that he "gave his all for Tennessee." Personally, I take him at his word that he didn't want to coach the last game to avoid being a distraction for seniors on their day.

Many of his players and his AD called him a good guy after knowing he wasn't going to coach against KY. They apparently didn't see it as him failing to "man up" for that game.

In any case, he's gone. He's been through a lot here, at least at the end of this season. I wish people would let him go in peace if nothing else.

try 6-7, 5-7, and 4-7