Tennessee Football: Why Vols Fans Should Lay off Tee Martin

It was reported on Monday that Tennessee icon Tee Martin was in Knoxville meeting with new head coach Butch Jones about a possible position on his coaching staff.

The reports today (via Los Angeles Daily News here) are that Martin has declined the position, choosing to remain the wide receivers coach at USC.

No sooner than that report hit the news sites, airwaves and Twitter, the negativity exploded.

As a fan you have every right to be disappointed when your team doesn't get a player or coach that you really want, but you need to remember one thing: The decision belongs to that person alone.

Just like the decision not to come back to Tennessee belongs only to Tee Martin.

Why would he decide to stay where he is?  

There could be a singular reason, or it could be multiple. It's possible that it may not have been a good fit for him.

It's a question that fans may not get a straight answer to. However, there have been a lot of possibilities being thrown around today.  

The most prominent has been about the music career of his wife.  The other has been the amount of money Tennessee offered Martin.

It could be one, could be both or it could be neither.  At the end of it all, does it really matter?

The answer to that is no. He chose to stay where he is and that is it.  The negativity about his decision is really uncalled for.

What brings this out is some fans think that Tee Martin owes them something.  Sure, he is a hero in Tennessee lore.  He is the quarterback that led the team to it's last National Championship way back in 1998.

That was 1998 and it is now 2012.

So, to circle back around, Tee Martin doesn't owe you anything.  He really doesn't.

He chose not to return to Tennessee because that is what is best for him and his family.  Just lay off of the negativity.

Fans shouldn't hammer him for his choice.  Instead, they should support him as the team hero that he is, and respect the man's decision.

Just remember, he only turned it down this time, it doesn't mean that he will never return to Rocky Top.