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Barack Obama is One of the Worst Presidents Ever So Far…For Tennessee Vols Athletics

By Caleb Calhoun

Jan 12, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; President Barack Obama after delivering the State of the Union address from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington. Mandatory Credit: Andrew P. Scott-USA TODAY Network
Jan 12, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; President Barack Obama after delivering the State of the Union address from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington. Mandatory Credit: Andrew P. Scott-USA TODAY Network /
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Sep 12, 2015; Knoxville, TN, USA; Neyland Stadium home of the Tennessee Volunteers on the banks of the Tennessee River prior to the game against the Oklahoma Sooners. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 12, 2015; Knoxville, TN, USA; Neyland Stadium home of the Tennessee Volunteers on the banks of the Tennessee River prior to the game against the Oklahoma Sooners. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports /

5. Lyndon B. Johnson, 1964-1969

While Tennessee Vols athletics may have been wallowing through what was its worst period ever under John F. Kennedy, the foundation was at least being laid for the program to thrive better than ever under his successor, Lyndon Baines Johnson. And that is just what it did.

Right after Kennedy’s assassination in 1963, the 3-5 Vols won their final two games to finish .500.

Johnson’s first full year as president coincided with Doug Dickey’s first full year in Knoxville. And after a 4-5-1 record in 1964, the Vols never again finished outside of the Top 25 during Johnson’s presidency. In fact, they had three Top 10 finishes and an SEC Title. And the big thing to lift Johnson up to No. 5 is the fact that the Vols, retroactively, achieved the most important crown jewel that the program could get: a football national title in 1967 despite a 9-2 record.

All of that counts for something. Then, in Men’s Basketball, the Vols made their first NCAA Tournament ever and won the SEC Regular Season Championship in 1966-1967. So when you have basketball and football success that was unprecedented at the time, you are going to be high on this list.

Meanwhile, even baseball under Bill Wright was incredibly successful. In five years The Vols had four winning seasons of 22-9, 20-12, 14-10, and 17-14.  Given the history of the baseball program, that is very good success.

And all of this together make Johnson one of the best presidents ever for Tennessee athletics.

Next: #4: George W. Bush

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