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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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Oct 10, 2015; Knoxville, TN, USA; General view of the Vol Navy before the game between the Georgia Bulldogs and Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 10, 2015; Knoxville, TN, USA; General view of the Vol Navy before the game between the Georgia Bulldogs and Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports /

Ranking Presidents Before the Modern Era Part III

2. Woodrow Wilson, 1913-1921

Woodrow Wilson is the first president in the era of Tennessee athletics to be elected twice and serve two full, four-year terms (although Teddy came close). And he saw Tennessee achieve more success than anybody in the pre-modern era.In football, the Vols won their first championship in 1914 by going 9-0, and they added three more winning seasons, two .500 seasons, and two years with no team due to WWI. But there was no losing season under Wilson.

In basketball, the Vols had five straight winning seasons and six in eight years, including a 36-4 record from 1913-1916 with a 12-0 record in 1915-1916. And in baseball, they had five winning seasons and one .500 season.

1. Herbert Hoover, 1929-1933

No question, Herbert Hoover in four years was the best president for Tennessee athletics before the modern era. Start with football. He may be the best president ever for Vols football, as this was the height of the Neyland years. Tennessee went 9-0-1, 9-1, 9-0-1, and 9-0-1 with a Southern Conference Championship while Hoover was president. That’s only one loss in four years.

Bring in basketball. The Vols went 11-5, 13-4, 11-10, and 8-7. That equals no losing seasons in basketball and four years of pure dominance in football. Heck, even baseball only had one losing season, going 3-5 his first year. They went 4-4 the year after and 6-3 in 1931 before not fielding a team in 1932. Still, that’s only one losing season in all three sports. Hoover oversaw a thriving period of early Tennessee athletics that was unfortunately not matched by the country during his presidency.

This is how all the presidents rank for Tennessee athletics before the SEC, which began in 1933. Here is how the 13 presidents rank for Tennessee athletics since the SEC was formed.

Next: #13: John F. Kennedy Jr.

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