In the SEC can any coach meet the standards...

Great thread. Tirk, very good post. I call this the professionalizing of college athletics, and I've sometimes wondered if it's all good for the schools. Seat licensing, mandatory contributions, ticket revenue, television contracts, merchandise licensing and sales all add up to I don't know how much revenue. (Does anyone out there know?). Throw in all the underground dollars spent wagering and the economic impact must be huge. On the other side of the spreadsheet are huge expenses. Just look at coaching salaries and recruiting budget alone and I'd probably be stunned. From a business point of view, the schools want to see maximum return on investment; and so do the fans (rightly so!)

All this really changed fan outlook. Instead of true loyalty like described in LSU's alma mater, it's become an attitude of demanding success at all costs and "What have you done for me lately?". I can't say I blame most fans when you consider how much money , time, and effort they invest being fans. That's why you saw everyone leaving games early this year.

Imagine how the players feel though. Everyone else is making huge income (direct and indirect) on their dedication and efforts and they can't even get paid minimum wage for their practice time while the library is full of paid student workers. I wonder how many student athletes really prize their scholarships for the education? For all they produce, coaches and players are not really appreciated when early exit from games, booing, bandwagon jumping and criticism are their reward.

Like you said Tirk, that bell can't be unrung.We have to start looking at collegiate athletics from a new and different vantage point than we did twenty years ago.

 

As I see it...

A little questionable, but Nutt looks like he has tapped into the potential of Ole Miss; Ole Miss was mostly mediocre under Cutcliffe, save for a Manning.

Questionable, but it seemed both sides were unhappy.

Not so questionable... Florida was extremely beatable under Zookie and he was almost an interim hire to deflect the blow of following the ole ball coach.

About damn time... This seems an odd inclusion when the other candidates didn't receive enough time, according to you... Tennessee has been stagnant for years.

Not so questionable... Bama was extremely beatable with Shula as coach and was almost an interim hire to deflect the blow of probation.

Not so questionable... The ghost of Saban's product still lingers a bit, IMO, considering we almost fell of the wagon under Miles this season. Head-scratching hire of Maleviltow took a lot of the wind out of the NC sail, which we backed into if you want to scrutinize it. Coker at Miami won a NC and his teams were lame afterwards... same with Fulmer, IMO. I don't believe a NC is necessarily an indication of coaching greatness. This isn't to say that I'm wanting to run Miles off at this time... he won me over last season and while my confidence in him is a little shaken, I still think he has done a number of good things while at LSU.

Ever think a guy like Shula was actually lucky to coach Bama? He made a little more than a living wage for a few years, and now still makes a living wage as some coordinator or position coach, most likely. Even without his name, he'd now be set. I wouldn't mind getting dissed like that for a couple of years.

 

The standards are high because the money is high. Simple as that. You get paid 2 or 3 mil you better bring the results or you will be canned.

Big corporations could learn from how results oriented college coaching jobs are judged.

 

Exactly, you either shyt or get off the pot.

Like Tirk said, its run like corporations now, everything is an opportunity to make money and if the product isnt good, whos going to buy it?

That equals alot of bandwagon fans.

 

Saban gave this statement on this discussion:

"There have been several coaches that have been let go in our league that have a pretty good body of work behind them. They've been really good coaches. They've been really good for the game. They've been good for a lot of players, and they've had very, very good programs. I've talked about Phillip. I've never really ever talked about Sly - Sylvester - and Tommy. Those guys are really good coaches. They've done a good job for a long time. They've got a tremendous body of work. I really question some of the judgment relative to how it is for our game that people who have those kind of relationships and have done that kind of job and affected so many people in a positive way - and have had a reasonable amount of success relative to their circumstances - would not be given more respect and consideration than what these guys have been. So I guess we're 5-7 away from the same thing."

http://blog.al.com/bamabeat/2008/12/nick_saban_on_news_from_auburn.html

 

Since Tubby and Fulmer are out, does this mean Miles has the longest tenure in the SEC? Jeeeez


Tubby to Mississippi State and Fulmer to Auburn...

 

1. Richt - '01
2. Johnson - '02
3. Brooks - '03
4. Meyer, Miles, Spurrier - '05
5. Saban - '07
6. Petrino, Nutt -'08
7. Kiffin, Miss. St. Auburn - '09

 

tirk is right...when as a consumer we are being required to fork over thousands of dollars for a product there is a level of expectation that the product quality meet the price. I don't know any school, particularly in the SEC, where ticket prices are going down. You can bet LSU isn't lowering ticket prices, seat licenses, TAF fees...etc. because Les' boys put up a 7-5 record. You couple that with the fact that Les Miles like many other big program coaches is making millions of dollars per year so, with all of that there is a level of expectation from fans, boosters, students and administration that you produce a consistent quality product. If not you will be gone. The rope is very short these days because of all the $$$$ involved.

There is also another factor in these situations. I've worke in intercollegiate athletics and it has been my experience that like CEO's athletic directors like to have their own people in place, especially at a high profile position like the head football coach. The AU AD had not hired Tubby and had no particular loyalty to him, so allegedly when Tubby refused to do what was asked of him the AD fired him. That same scenario could easily play out at LSU if Les Miles puts up another 7-5 campaign next year. Joe Alleva was brought in to raise money and it's very hard to get big money people to open up their pocket books when the football team is mediocre.

 

No Alleva was brought in to make LSU a basketball school...and since his arrival the basketball coach has changed and the football team has regressed. It is falling right into his plan (followed with evil laughs).


Just kidding:lol: