College Football IV: The Hand over Fist Cash Grab Time, or Bowl Season for short.

[J.D.]

Re: College Football IV: The Hand over Fist Cash Grab Time, or Bowl Season for short.

Brandon's mistake isn't that he fired RR today instead of yesterday, it's that he fired RR today instead of end of November/beginning of December.

Easy for you to say when you're not paying the buyout figure Also, isn't it possible Brandon wanted to see how RR did in preparing his team for a NYD bowl game? There's a lot of factors to consider. I just don't think it's as simple as he should have fired him back then.

Kepler's an ND fan.

Oh, I just didn't know what the post meant...

Saying the process is just beginning now is the wrong answer. It's one thing to wait until today to pull the trigger, but then you'd better have some legwork done already in the coaching search. This, of course, was the whole presumption why he waited so long in the first place.

Brandon's failures aren't about the lack of a new coach, it's about the lack of communication about a new coach. It's one thing to play things close to the vest, but it's another to just let rumors spread like wildfire.

He needs to take control of the process and get it moving, or else the new coach is going to be in a very similar position that RR was in - with a poor recruiting class and lots of attrition that will make it hard to win games.

Fair enough, but I happen to think despite what he said, they know who their targets are and they will move quickly.

 

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

Re: College Football IV: The Hand over Fist Cash Grab Time, or Bowl Season for short.

Texas Longhorns are supposedly looking at hiring Wisconsin OC Paul Chryst to fill their own vacant OC position.

Chryst denies interest.

I know that Chryst looked like an amateur after the way he called the Rose Bowl game, but that would still be a HUGE setback for the Badgers.

 

[MinnesotaNorthStar]

This isn't an instant process. That worked out pathetcially bad the last time. This is supposed to be a coach's last job.

Aren't you supposed to pay Michigan for the privilege of coaching there?

 

[alfablue]

Re: College Football IV: The Hand over Fist Cash Grab Time, or Bowl Season for short.

Aren't you supposed to pay Michigan for the privilege of coaching there?

Exactly- and part of the duty is to supervise players as they volunteer to paint Schembechler Hall.

 

[Craig P.]

Re: College Football IV: The Hand over Fist Cash Grab Time, or Bowl Season for short.

The problem with the delay was that in the absence of an affirmation that Michigan was committed to retaining Rodriguez, the period between the end of the season and the firing gave the appearance that Michigan was not committed to retaining Rodriguez. There was a lot of speculation that the whole thing was part of a dance to try to get Harbaugh. That's the sort of fuzziness that hurts recruiting and may also have indirectly led to the bowl debacle. I think Brandon probably should have fired Rodriguez irrespective of the bowl result, but if he intended to only perform an evaluation after the bowl, he needed to make a strong, public statement to that effect (which I don't recall that he did).

Whatever else you might think about Jack Swarbrick's decision to retain Weis for 2009, I think he gave a clinic on how to handle uncertainty about the coach in both 2008 and 2009 (and followed it up with a clinic on how to conduct a search and hire).

Oh, I just didn't know what the post meant...

I think Kepler was looking forward to future struggles by Michigan with gleeful anticipation, since a) they appear on our schedule, and b) ND fans generally don't like Michigan. I figured the confusion arose because if you didn't know he was an ND fan, it wouldn't make sense why he would feel that way, particularly regarding (a).

 

[MaizeRage]

Re: College Football IV: The Hand over Fist Cash Grab Time, or Bowl Season for short.

I don't see what magical solution would have come about by making this decision in November. They weren't going to hire a new coach, least of all the guy everybody wanted, in that interim. They basically would have been in the same spot.

 

[Priceless]

Re: College Football IV: The Hand over Fist Cash Grab Time, or Bowl Season for short.

Cam Newton either sat courtside at the Suns-Lakers game last night, or he didn't. Auburn alumnus Charles Barkley either got him the seats or he didn't. It would be a violation of NCAA rules if he accepted tickets.

There is video of Newton sitting courtside during the game, so it seems kind of strange to hear his camp saying he didn't.

Barkley told Dan Patrick that he didn't get Newton the tickets, but would have if Newton had asked.

The NCAA will probably investigate this first thing Tuesday morning.

 

[alfablue]

Re: College Football IV: The Hand over Fist Cash Grab Time, or Bowl Season for short.

The problem with the delay was that in the absence of an affirmation that Michigan was committed to retaining Rodriguez, the period between the end of the season and the firing gave the appearance that Michigan was not committed to retaining Rodriguez. There was a lot of speculation that the whole thing was part of a dance to try to get Harbaugh. That's the sort of fuzziness that hurts recruiting and may also have indirectly led to the bowl debacle. I think Brandon probably should have fired Rodriguez irrespective of the bowl result, but if he intended to only perform an evaluation after the bowl, he needed to make a strong, public statement to that effect (which I don't recall that he did).

Whatever else you might think about Jack Swarbrick's decision to retain Weis for 2009, I think he gave a clinic on how to handle uncertainty about the coach in both 2008 and 2009 (and followed it up with a clinic on how to conduct a search and hire).


I think Kepler was looking forward to future struggles by Michigan with gleeful anticipation, since a) they appear on our schedule, and b) ND fans generally don't like Michigan. I figured the confusion arose because if you didn't know he was an ND fan, it wouldn't make sense why he would feel that way, particularly regarding (a).

Whatever fuzziness and appearences we saw were created by the media, not Michigan.

If RR was distracted by the media, more of a reason for him to be gone. If recruits do the same, then I see their lack of critical thought as a negative to even play- be gone. If a recruit wants real answers, don't ask the reporter, ask Michigan.

Michigan stated that they were going to review the situation after the bowl. They did. Again, it was the media speculation that the review was a meeting to fire, and they got it very wrong that day. Brandon stated that he reviewed the program with RR, and even laid out what performance items were reviewed. So the fact that he didn't state what the review was wasn't strong enough?

that's what is depressing- everyone is buying into whatever controversy that they are being told. When reality from the source says otherwise. I wanted RR to be gone as much as the next guy, but I also think how Brandon is handling it is a lot different than what people thought would happen based on the MEDIA.

 

[Bob Gray]

Re: College Football IV: The Hand over Fist Cash Grab Time, or Bowl Season for short.

Cam Newton either sat courtside at the Suns-Lakers game last night, or he didn't. Auburn alumnus Charles Barkley either got him the seats or he didn't. It would be a violation of NCAA rules if he accepted tickets.

There is video of Newton sitting courtside during the game, so it seems kind of strange to hear his camp saying he didn't.

Barkley told Dan Patrick that he didn't get Newton the tickets, but would have if Newton had asked.

The NCAA will probably investigate this first thing Tuesday morning.

Well, that's quite interesting. Not a smart move for someone under the microscope like him.

 

[Kepler]

Re: College Football IV: The Hand over Fist Cash Grab Time, or Bowl Season for short.

Not a smart move

Perhaps you are not familiar with his body of work?

 

[WeWantMore]

Re: College Football IV: The Hand over Fist Cash Grab Time, or Bowl Season for short.

I thought they said on Sportscenter this morning that both teams were in attendance?

 

[Kepler]

Re: College Football IV: The Hand over Fist Cash Grab Time, or Bowl Season for short.

I thought they said on Sportscenter this morning that both teams were in attendance?

Oregon would never accept tickets under those ethically ambiguous circumstances.

We would steal them.

 

[Bob Gray]

Re: College Football IV: The Hand over Fist Cash Grab Time, or Bowl Season for short.

Perhaps you are not familiar with his body of work?

True. He's gotten away with everything that's happened so far. I somehow doubt the NCAA will move on this quickly.

 

[Bob Gray]

Re: College Football IV: The Hand over Fist Cash Grab Time, or Bowl Season for short.

I thought they said on Sportscenter this morning that both teams were in attendance?

The article I read said the rest of the Auburn team was in the upper bowl, while Newton got a courtside ticket next to Barkley.
Having gone to Suns games, unsurprisingly, there is a very large difference in price between the upper bowl and courtside tickets.

And apparently an Alabama media person tweeted that Barkley had gotten him the ticket.

 

[Priceless]

Re: College Football IV: The Hand over Fist Cash Grab Time, or Bowl Season for short.

I thought they said on Sportscenter this morning that both teams were in attendance?

Yeah, I've done more digging and the controversy started because of a tweet.

Hanging at Lakers-Suns… Pugh and most Auburn players in upper deck…Cam in lower bowl. Thanks Barkley for the tix.

The tweeter was thanking Barkley for the tickets, which allowed HIM to attend the game. He was commenting that he saw a bunch of Auburn players, not saying Barkley got the Auburn players tickets.

Both teams went courtesy of the BCS/Fiesta Bowl/whatever which I'm sure is within NCAA regulations because they obviously offered tickets to all the students from Oregon and Auburn to attend the game.

 

[bronconick]

Re: College Football IV: The Hand over Fist Cash Grab Time, or Bowl Season for short.

Both teams were there (probably part of the free bowl gifts) and Newton got brought down courtside for an interview, and they let him stay there.

This is somewhere below getting free tattoos, frankly.

 

[WeWantMore]

Re: College Football IV: The Hand over Fist Cash Grab Time, or Bowl Season for short.

The article I read said the rest of the Auburn team was in the upper bowl, while Newton got a courtside ticket next to Barkley.
Having gone to Suns games, unsurprisingly, there is a very large difference in price between the upper bowl and courtside tickets.

And apparently an Alabama media person tweeted that Barkley had gotten him the ticket.

Hmm. Legal/NCAA issues aside. It just seems like a ******y thing to do from a teammate perspective doesn't it? "You losers sit up here. I've got courtisde seats baby!"

 

[Priceless]

Re: College Football IV: The Hand over Fist Cash Grab Time, or Bowl Season for short.

Hmm. Legal/NCAA issues aside. It just seems like a ******y thing to do from a teammate perspective doesn't it? "You losers sit up here. I've got courtisde seats baby!"

Reportedly some players from both teams got upper bowl seats and some got lower bowl. And supposedly the tickets were assigned randomly. Also, like nick said, he was brought down for an interview and wasn't told to leave.
The whole thing goes back to the idea that Twitter/Facebook will be a bane to college athletics.

 

[blockski]

Re: College Football IV: The Hand over Fist Cash Grab Time, or Bowl Season for short.

Whatever fuzziness and appearences we saw were created by the media, not Michigan.

If someone gives a muddled answer to a question, it's not the media's fault if their thinking looks muddled when it's reported.

If RR was distracted by the media, more of a reason for him to be gone. If recruits do the same, then I see their lack of critical thought as a negative to even play- be gone. If a recruit wants real answers, don't ask the reporter, ask Michigan.

Come on, you can't be this naive. Perception matters, especially in recruiting.

Michigan stated that they were going to review the situation after the bowl. They did. Again, it was the media speculation that the review was a meeting to fire, and they got it very wrong that day. Brandon stated that he reviewed the program with RR, and even laid out what performance items were reviewed. So the fact that he didn't state what the review was wasn't strong enough?

Brandon's statement was fine. If he wanted to wait until the Bowl game, that's great - I assumed he was still working behind the scenes to find a new coach just in case he decides to axe this guy - that would be the prudent thing to do. How much was one more game, one more data point really going to change his mind?

that's what is depressing- everyone is buying into whatever controversy that they are being told. When reality from the source says otherwise. I wanted RR to be gone as much as the next guy, but I also think how Brandon is handling it is a lot different than what people thought would happen based on the MEDIA.

Sorry, perception is reality. Brandon needed to move faster. By saying he'd wait until after the bowl game, everyone (including myself) thought he'd wait until after the bowl game to actually pull the trigger, but the decision to fire him had been made. Without a vote of confidence, RR twists in the wind, there is no replacement coach, etc.

If Brandon had decided to keep RR after that review, he's already done the coach more damage by letting him twist in the wind for a month.

The only possible reason you'd do that to yourself is if you're waiting on a specific guy you want who doesn't want his name in the papers until after the bowls (Harbaugh - same thing applied to Miles in 2007, as he was about to coach in the MNC game).

 

[Bob Gray]

Re: College Football IV: The Hand over Fist Cash Grab Time, or Bowl Season for short.

Both teams were there (probably part of the free bowl gifts) and Newton got brought down courtside for an interview, and they let him stay there.

This is somewhere below getting free tattoos, frankly.

Courtside seats don't just materialize for anyone who happens to be down there, and they cost a pretty penny. Sounds legit that Barkley didn't provide the tickets, but sitting courtside at an NBA game is a benefit of significant value. Probably more than the cost of your run-of-the-mill tattoo I'd guess. Who knows, maybe Cam had saved his pennies for months to afford a courtside seat, but color me skeptical.