University of Tennessee athletic director Danny White chose to fire head women’s basketball coach Kellie Harper in April after five seasons. Although the decision was not entirely unexpected, it did not go over well with a subset of Volunteers fans.
They were not afraid to express their frustrations in some very angry emails to White!
Harper, 47, was hired by Tennessee in 2019. She won 21 games in her first year, which was cut short due to the pandemic, and was equally as successful in the next four regular seasons.
However, the Vols repeatedly fell short during the NCAA Tournament.
- 2020/21: 17-8, lost in the Second Round
- 2021/22: 25-9, lost in the Sweet Sixteen
- 2022/23: 25-12, lost in the Sweet Sixteen
- 2023/24: 20-13, lost in the Second Round
This past year’s early-round exit was the primary catalyst for Harper’s ouster. Tennessee expects to compete for a national championship year-in and year-out. Nothing short of the Elite Eight will suffice!
As a result, White chose to move on from Harper and hired Kim Caldwell. The latter led Marshall to the NCAA Tournament last season after a lot of success on the Division-II level at Glenville State.
To say that it was a contentious firing and hiring would be an understatement.
Some Tennessee fans were furious!
There was an extremely vocal group who reached out to White to express their disappointment. Adam Sparks of the Knoxville News Sentinel obtained some of the emails through an FOIA request. They are wild!
A fan that identified as Ted told White to “rot in hell” and called him a “sleeze ball.”
An unnamed fan said that “The great pat summit would be rolling in her grave!” He or she proceeded to call White an unkind pair of expletives and hopes that he “gets nothing but backlash.”
John, an elderly fan, said that he hopes every player on Tennessee’s roster will transfer and wants the women’s basketball team to lose 20 games in a row next year. That way, White is responsible.
(Then) maybe they will let you go. At last, you will receive full compensation you cheap (expletive) HEAD. UT deserves better than a backstabbing (expletive) like you.
I hope you never die, but I live long enough to see you (expletive) fired.
— John, in an email to Danny White
A woman named Belinda believes that White followed “bad advice from donors and the wannabe coaches that complain in the News Sentinel.” An 84-year-old pastor (!!) accused him of having unrealistic expectations.
Perhaps the funniest email came from a 1970 graduate named Tony. He referred to Danny White by the name of his brother, Mike.
Now it’s the mike white program … since you know best, prove thyself. Now this is on your shoulders, Mike and God. You shouldn’t have fired her Mike.
— Tony, in an email to Danny White
Ronald called White “brainless” and “Dumb! Dumb! Dumb!” for firing Harper. Linda was “truly ashamed.” Jim believes that she should have received 10 full years to build the program. He wanted White to give her a full decade!
Other emails can be seen in Sparks’ full report. They are all fantastic. It is as if Tennessee’s message boards changed the direction of their rants and sent them to Danny White’s inbox instead.