I watched Phillip Fulmer's press conference yesterday and had several takeaways:

• Unlike most mercenary coaches who bounce from place to place (can you say Nick Saban?  I knew you could) Fulmer really, really, really loves Tennessee.  It's his alma mater and he's spent thirty years coaching there.  It's refreshing and perhaps the end of an era to see a coach who cares more about the uniform than he does himself.
• Fulmer thinks of himself as a the father of a large family.
• Leaving Tennessee after this season was not his idea.  Far from it.  You got the impression in parts of his remarks that he hates this more than losing to Steve Spurrier.  He specifically avoided thanking AD Mike Hamilton, the man who pulled the trigger.  He did thank Hamilton's predecessor, Doug Dickey who not only was Fulmer's college coach but hired him to replace Johnny Majors.
  
• Fulmer has little use for the media as well, only allowing questions from two reporters he specifically named.
• Fulmer brushed aside questions on what his future would hold.  You get the impression that taking a job in the UT athletic department would not be an option, given his obvious anger with this decision.  Phillip Fulmer coaching at Clemson or Mississippi State would be as weird as watching Mike Ditka coach the Saints.
  
• Fulmer made a point of mentioning he's won 3 of every 4 games he's coached at Tennessee.  The problem is most of those came in his first twelve seasons, making him a victim of his own competence.
  
• Mike Hamilton comes across like a used car salesman.  He also comes across as a guy who saved his own butt by firing Fulmer rather than stand up to the gathering mob.
• I thought it laughable that Tennessee would hold a "Phillip Fulmer Day" at their final home game.  How exactly does a school pay tribute to a man that was forced out by a mob?  What do they expect?  Fans to cheer him?  The high profile, big dollar boosters who were about to stop supporting the program to shake his hand and hug him? Tennessee can spin this any way they want, but the bottom line is Fulmer was forced out plain and simple after 16 years and a lot of wins.  JoPa was never treated like this.
  

What makes this one stand out is Fulmer IS Tennessee.  He's a loyal son, a man who has given almost every ounce of his being to the university on and off the field.  He did important charitable works and treated everyone from the fans to the equipment people to the team bus driver with dignity and class.

Like I said yesterday, if I were Fulmer, I'd tell Hamilton to shove it up his backside and walk away right now.  He's a proud man who certainly doesn't need to be a lame duck coach honored with a pseudo celebration some marketing hack thought up.  But Phillip Fulmer is a Tennessee man and will see it thorough the end, not for himself, but for his players, his coaches and the University he calls "his extended family."

Say what you want about Phil Fulmer as a coach, but in a world where character and temperament are quickly dismissed for a few extra "w's", Phil Fulmer is both a winner and a decent human being.  For Tennessee's sake, I hope the next guy is too.