Numbers not adding up for Fulmer 
October 28, 2008 10:57 AM
Posted by ESPN.com's Chris Low
The hot rumor around the state of Tennessee on Monday was that Phillip Fulmer's agent, Jimmy Sexton, and Tennessee athletic director Mike Hamilton were negotiating a settlement for Fulmer to step down.
Well, there are a couple of things wrong with that rumor.
Streeter Lecka/Getty Image Coach Phillip Fulmer's hot seat is getting hotter.For one, Sexton was in Birmingham speaking to the Birmingham Touchdown Club and was in Tuscaloosa later in the day. He has also not discussed any kind of settlement with Hamilton, and Fulmer hasn't broached the topic with either Sexton or Hamilton.
Hamilton referred to talk that he's already commissioned a search firm to help find Fulmer's replacement as "total B.S."
Here's the other thing wrong with Monday's hot rumor: There won't be any negotiations on a settlement if Fulmer is forced out. The settlement will be the $6 million buyout he's contractually owed. That was negotiated last summer.
The 29-9 loss to Alabama certainly didn't help Fulmer any, and it was more the way the Vols lost. They weren't even in the game in the second half, which is the fourth straight time that's happened against rivals Alabama and Florida.
Tennessee has lost its last four games to Alabama and Florida by a combined score of 159-52.
Losing big games is one thing. But not being competitive in those games will get a coach fired quicker than anything, even a coach as established as Fulmer.
Unfortunately for Fulmer, it's been a trend.
Since the start of the 2002 season, the Vols have lost 30 games -- and 12 of those losses have been by 17 points or more.
10-27-2008, 12:28 PM
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