Maybe if a large number of your customers (fans) at Dillards were some serious a-holes... For the record, I can't see him leaving LSU for Colorado. Besides... Our stadium grass tastes best. He said so.
The Colorado AD said, "We're not a $4 million dollar a year institution. I think we're gonna fall more into the $2 million a year range." That's all I needed to hear. :crystal::geaux::crystal::geaux::crystal::geaux::crystal:
I read that this morning and came away with the same opinion. Miles ain't going no where for $2 mill, when he can get $4 mill or better at plenty of schools that would have him. Which frankly right now I am sure that list is a lot longer than many LSU fans would like to believe.
I've never been to Boulder, or CU, but I can't imagine that snow skiing in the Rockies is somehow a turnoff. What about the CU student body, or the backdrop of beautiful mountains and powdery snow is monochromatic? The vision of Colorado I have is fairly picturesque.
I wound up getting my degree from CU-Denver and for a while lived 13 miles east of Boulder. I lived in the Denver-Boulder metropolis for 10 years. Colorado is a great place to live, especially if you enjoy a healthy lifestyle. Its not just snow skiing out there: elk hunting, backpacking, fly fishing, whitewater rafting, camping, etc. Denver has more dedicated bike trails than any big city I have seen. Colorado has well over 300 days of sunshine annually. The student body at CU is not just a bunch of stoner ski bums. It is actually comprised of huge percentage of wealthy kids from other parts of the country in addition to the state residents. Colorado has a very diverse economy and very low crime. They have indigenous cuisine, a well educated populace, and a surprisingly healthy music scene. Its a cool place to live an the CU head coaching job is a great gig for an "up and comer".
I've been in CO since 1972 so obviously I love it. I echo everything that Herb says. The CU ahtletic department is not in the best shape financially and having to pay out Hawkins contract and that of a new coach isn't going to help. I'd be surprised if the new coaches salary exceeds $1.5 per year.
Along these lines, I commented on this in another thread. Hawkins demise at CU is kinda what gives me pause when some people bring up the name Peterson as a possible replacement for Miles. Hawkins was partially responsible for building the BSU program into what it is now, and Peterson has followed that and made it even better. With the track record that Hawkins had at BSU CU made what would have appeared to be a solid choice as a hire for their HC position. Hawkins came into CU in 2006 the yr after they had won their division, so it wasn't as if he was walking into a team with no talent. At CU he has been a complete failure. Which leads to my concern over the possibility of Peterson as a replacement for Miles. As has been stated by many, should LSU find themselves in a position to need a new HC, we would want someone with a proven track record of operating a winning program. Peterson does fit that bill, but would he fall the same fate as Hawkins. Jumping from the ranks of the WAC to the SEC. Hawkins at BSU was an excellent coach and had BSU at the top of that conference, but when he stepped into the big boy conferences, the Big 12, he failed. Backed by the argument many have that BSU couldn't hang in one of the big conferences and would suffer several losses is why they aren't deserving of being in the MNC, undefeated or not. Hawkins failure points to that being a valid argument. Which leads to my concern of the consideration of Peterson. BSU and the WAC, ain't LSU and the SEC just like BSU and the WAC ain't CU and the Big 12. I'm not saying that Peterson couldn't be a good choice, just that when you look at what has happened to Hawkins you have to take into consideration that the WAC ain't the SEC, and although Peterson is a great coach for BSU doesn't mean he would have the same success at LSU. Granted I think he has done a great job there and has shown he can go toe to toe with the big boys, but could he coach a team week in and week out with the same success. That is the quesion that makes me wonder if he would be the right choice should we find ourselves in the position to need a new HC.
