The Miles supporters will have to see the program go completely down the shitter before they realize what Leslie truely is. And even then they'll probably be saying "Well, it was great while it lasted." Sad, really sad.
That's right. Its the rule for coaches. If you lose, you leave. If you win, you stay. People complaining about 10.5 wins a season in the SEC West are whackos that can't be happy with anything.
I once faced a situation as a commander where I made the decision to place a staff sergeant in charge of a platoon sergeant. I counseled him, told him the areas he needed to improve, and gave him ample opportunity to prove he was the right NCO. In the end, the staff sergeant was the better performer. The platoon sergeant was a good dude, but I thought we could be better. I didn't want to make the change, I thought I owed it to the guy because of his seniority, and time and effort he had put into preparing his men to fight. He was my favorite platoon sergeant. But when it counted, the other guy was better. I did what I thought was in the best interest of my organization as a whole.
and only you as the commander could make that choice....not the XO, squad leader, Training NCO, or the cook.
Nope. But it wasn't a popular decision initially, and I was questioned about it, especially from my first sergeant. Leadership is a lonely business. No one else matters, though; not the XO or the cook. Or anyone else in another company or fans on a forum.
Do you walk around in a perpetual state of disappointment? If our era of football dominance all ended tomorrow, I would absolutely say it was fun while it lasted...because it's been...well...fun. How hard is that to process, understand, and accept?
A football coach might make a decision based on favoritism but what is at stake for that is winning or losing a football game or keeping his job. Your decisions had much higher stakes. Your decisions affected the very lives of the soldiers under your command. I have to commend you for bearing the weight of command on your shoulders. I salute you for your service. Have you ever thought about getting into coaching.