Usually, when a coach leaves for a new job, the players left behind at the old school are bitter. That’s especially true when the coach leaves without saying goodbye.
Tennessee players are not upset with Cuonzo Martin for taking Cal job
Volunteer stars apparently were frustrated with the lack of support departing coach Cuonzo Martin received from fans.
Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
But after Cuonzo Martin left Tennessee for Cal on Tuesday, his former players with the Volunteers had completely different emotions. They were happy for him. Some of Martin’s players took to Twitter to congratulate their coach, saying he hadn’t gotten the treatment he deserved in Knoxville.
Jordan McRae
Can't treat people any kind of way and expect good in return.
— Jordan McRae (@JordyMac52) April 15, 2014 @The_Dylan_Lane point exactly
— Jordan McRae (@JordyMac52) April 15, 2014 Jeronne Maymon
Not even surprised... It was just a matter of time! #RESPECT
— Jeronne Maymon (@JeronneMaymon) April 15, 2014 Jarnell Stokes
And then there's this: pic.twitter.com/mxUJ6UpUxb
— Rob Dauster (@RobDauster) April 15, 2014 Josh Richardson
Best of luck to coach at Cal. Did what he had to do
— Josh Richardson (@J_Rich1) April 15, 2014 Despite reaching the Sweet 16 this season, many fans felt that Martin had underachieved with the talent he had. To them, Martin would never be Bruce Pearl, who was fired in 2011 after breaking NCAA rules. This season, more than 36,000 Vols fans signed a petition to fire Martin and bring back Pearl. That upset McRae.
Jordan McRae on the tension between Cuonzo Martin and #Vols fan base pic.twitter.com/F7gcs00N6c
— Ben Frederickson (@Ben_Fred) April 15, 2014 Apparently, the lack of support may not have just been limited to normal fans. According to Sports Illustrated’s Zac Ellis, the animosity extended to some boosters:
@MattZemek TN boosters reportedly told AD not to let their private plans be used for hoops recruiting, just to undercut Cuonzo.
— Zac Ellis (@ZacEllis) April 15, 2014 Martin shopped around for other jobs this offseason and was considered a serious candidate for the Marquette job before withdrawing his name from consideration. Now he’s leaving for Berkeley, apparently with his players’ blessing. And now Vols fans have one more thing to hate him for — he’s taking their 7-foot-1 center recruit, too.
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