‘Rot in hell’: Angry emails from Lady Vols fans to Danny White over Kellie Harper firing

V-O-L-S isn’t the only four-letter spelling Tennessee fans have down pat, and a tiny sliver of Vol Nation showed no hesitation to go there in emails sent to athletics director Danny White after he fired women’s basketball coach Kellie Harper on April 1.

Fifty-four emails sent to White’s official UT account were obtained by Knox News through an open records request focused on responses to the firing of Harper, the ensuing coaching search and the hiring of coach Kim Caldwell.

They reveal just how shocked and irate a salty subset of UT fans were in the days after Harper was fired. White – a man most of them presumably aren't on a first-name basis with – was the target of their ire.

“WHAT A SLEEZE BALL,” a fan identified as Ted wrote in an email. “YOU CAN ROT IN HELL FOR BEING SUCH AN (expletive).”

Harper was a popular Lady Vols player and three-time national champion under legendary coach Pat Summitt in the 1990s. And Harper had a solid coaching tenure with a 108-52 record over five seasons at UT, but her teams never got past the Sweet 16.

Her firing wasn’t unexpected. But some UT fans took it harder than others.

“The great pat summit would be rolling in her grave!” an unnamed fan said in an email. “What a (expletive) (expletive) you are I'm done following the Vols! I hope you get nothing but backlash you piece of (expletive).”

White has been a largely popular AD with a good track record of hiring coaches. But the emails provide a sampling of the most extreme reactions to the Lady Vols coaching change. Here are the most eye-opening emails.

Hoping Lady Vols lose to teach Danny White a lesson

An elderly fan named John said he hopes every Lady Vols player transfers and the team loses 20 straight games next season, just so White would bear the blame.

“(Then) maybe they will let you go,” the email said. “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 your (expletive) fired.”

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Pastor lectures Danny White on basketball history

An 84-year-old pastor accused White of having unrealistic expectations.

He recalled Summitt winning eight national titles at UT and Adolph Rupp winning four national titles as the Kentucky men’s basketball coach. But he argued that those days of dominance are long gone.

“Surely you know it is much harder to win a national championship today,” the pastor told White in an email. “You have made a grave error and I believe the University of Tennessee will live to have great regrets for your untimely and ridiculous decision.”

Knox News and John Adams are to blame

A few fans said White fired Harper to please Knox News readers and columnist John Adams.

“That was a horse (expletive) statement you released about firing Coach Harper,” a fan named Bill said in an email. “… But you got John Adams and his (predominantly male) bunch of cutthroat jerks off your back. Congratulations.

“None of you have the slightest clue what the Lady Vols program has meant to its (predominantly female) supporters over the years.”

A fan named Belinda accused White of following “bad advice from donors and the wannabe coaches that complain in the News Sentinel,” presumably in Adams’ email columns.

Fan wants next coach to honor national anthem

A man identifying himself as a Vietnam War veteran said he quit attending Lady Vols games because UT players were not on the court during the national anthem.

On Jan. 7, 2021, all but one Lady Vols player kneeled during the anthem before a game against Arkansas. Since then, UT has stayed in the locker room during the playing of the anthem.

“I am hoping you will hire a more patriotic coach this time who hopefully will be more patriotic and require the players to be more respectful, in our opinions, of our Republic,” the fan said in an email.

“I am hoping and thanking you in advance to do what many fans, workers, veterans and others who believe in having coaches who respect our flag, anthem and values that men and women have sacrificed their lives for.”

Tennessee shouldn’t have fired Holly Warlick, either

Some fans blamed White for prematurely firing former coach Holly Warlick, who also was a UT player and Summitt assistant.

“It’s shameful of you to dismiss not one but two coaches so loyal to your school,” a fan named Meg said in an email. “… Stop breaking everyone’s hearts repeatedly.”

It was former AD Phillip Fulmer, however, who fired Warlick in 2019 and then hired Harper. White replaced Fulmer as AD in 2021.

“(Expletive) YOU, your program fired Holly & now Kellie,” an unidentified fan said in an email. “Get your head out of your (expletive). You will NEVER hire another Pat Summitt. Get over it.

“… You ignorant white men are running out of time to run the world. GO TO HELL.”

Some fans draw comparisons to Rick Barnes

There was a theme in the emails of comparing the records of Harper (108-52, .675 winning percentage) and men’s basketball coach Rick Barnes (202-101, .666 winning percentage) at UT.

“Will you now fire Rick Barnes? He has been there since 2015 and what has he accomplished?” a fan named Tina wrote in an email.

A fan named Phil added: “I guess you will get Rick Barnes next because his record is worse than Kellie’s. Another good coach who hasn’t won the national championship.”

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Was this email meant for Mike White?

One longtime fan was so furious that he forgot the AD’s name.

A 1970 UT graduate identified as Tony unleashed a sarcastic rant at Danny White. However, he identified him as Mike White throughout the long email.

Mike White is Danny White’s brother and the men’s basketball coach at Georgia.

“Now it’s the mike white program … since you know best, prove thyself,” the email said. “Now this is on your shoulders, Mike and God. You shouldn’t have fired her Mike.”

This was the last straw, maybe

Some fans said they were done supporting UT athletics because of Harper’s firing.

“I wish you had been the one fired,” a fan named Tonya said. “I hope UT athletic programs go bankrupt. I will never go to another game or watch another game. I have a lot of colleagues, friends and family that has said the same thing.”

Others made conditional threats.

One fan told White that he was absolutely not renewing his season ticket, and he couldn’t be persuaded otherwise. However, if the new coach reaches the Final Four, then he said he’d be back on board.

Fans thought Harper was about to turn it around

Harper went 21-10, 17-8, 25-9, 25-12 and 20-13 in her five seasons. Her teams were eliminated in the second round of the NCAA tournament twice and the Sweet 16 twice.

Some fans thought White worsened the situation because the Lady Vols were about to turn the corner.

“They were building momentum and you just set the program back 2+ years!” a fan named Kristin said in an email. “You’re giving an image of my Alma mater of win or else - cut throat and tacky. Shameful!”

Similarly, a fan named Richard argued that Warlick and Harper were not given enough time to finish the job.

“It took Summit a lifetime to build her legacy,” he said in an email. “Warlick and Harper were given five years or less to build theirs. Doesn't seem fair, or ethical.”

Actually, Warlick coached UT for seven seasons, going 172-67 (.719 winning percentage) with three Elite 8 appearances.

“I am truly ashamed of this,” a fan named Linda said in an email. “I thought we had moved on to a new era where firing coaches so casually and so often was over.”

Why not give Kellie Harper 10 years to win?

A fan named Ronald called White “brainless” and “Dumb! Dumb! Dumb!” for firing “one of the best up and coming coaches in women’s basketball” because Harper “had everything heading in the right direction.”

Some fans asked White why he didn’t give Harper one more season to make a deeper run in the NCAA tournament. A fan named Jim thought Harper should’ve been given a decade to do it.

“Why not give Kelli Harper 9 or 10 years to continue to build on UT Women’s Basketball success,” he said in an email. “This decision makes no sense to me!”

Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Emailadam.sparks@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.

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