The Hot Stove is in full effect now that some of the biggest free agent dominoes (K-Rod, Sabathia, Burnett) have fallen. At the forefront of the offseason is none other than the New York Yankees. It's funny how one year of missing postseason play changes things. Last winter GM Brian Cashman emphasized the importance of developing homegrown stars and keeping the farm system stocked with prospects. He refused to part with Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain, and Melky Cabrera (among others) for Johan Santana. The result? A starting rotation decimated by injury and left with now-retired 20-game winner Mike Mussina and not much else.
So how do the Bronx Bombers respond this winter? They spend nearly a quarter of a billion dollars on two free-agent starting pitchers. C.C. Sabathia, arguably the prize of the 2008 free agent class, grabbed a 7-year, $161 million deal. The oft-injured A.J. Burnett then pulled in a 5-year, $82.5 million deal of his own. The Yanks instantly added 35 wins and 482 strikeouts to their rotation. The front of the rotation has a legitimate ace and now the Yanks suddenly look formidable again.
Of course, there are some warning signs around these two pitchers. Burnett has a lengthy injury history and underwent Tommy John surgery in 2003. He has only made 30 starts in a season twice in his career: 2005 (32 starts with the Marlins) and 2008 (34 starts with the Blue Jays). When healthy, he is an above-average power pitcher who led the American League with 231 strikeouts this season. As for Sabathia, his weight has been a constant concern. He officially checks in at 290 pounds but many baseball insiders would debate that. He has never logged fewer than 180 innings in a season since his first full big league campaign in 2001. Last year he threw 253 innings (with the help of 10 complete games) and had 251 strikeouts. He may only be 28 but one has to wonder just how much longer he can keep this grueling pace up.
There is also the underlying concern that comes with being in pinstripes: the pressure of playing in New York. Burnett has performed well against both Boston and the Yankees while in Toronto but the fact remains that he has never pitched on the postseason stage. He was injured during the Marlins' miracle run in 2003. Sabathia has made just three postseason starts, surrendering a 6.14 ERA and 15 walks in 14 and 2/3 innings. And let's be honest. Being defined as a great Yankee means contributing when it counts, in October. Just ask A-Rod.
We have seen plenty of big free agent acquisitions go horribly wrong in New York. Hideki Irabu, Kei Igawa, Carl Pavano, Randy Johnson, Jason Giambi, and Jose Contreras, just to name a few. You could also bring a few Mets flops into this. Bret Saberhagen, Bobby Bonilla, Mo Vaughn. I could keep going but I think you get the point.
Bottom line, no one should be surprised that the Yankees have been the big impact player this offseason. They have proved they can't sustain a strong player development program. Save for one wave of players (Jeter, Posada, Pettite, Rivera) that came up around the same time, the Yankees haven't developed anybody. The scary part is that they haven't even had can't-miss prospects only to trade them away like the Mets (Burnett, Lastings Milledge, Mike Jacobs, Carlos Gomez). Shelley Duncan, Eric Duncan, Brien Taylor, Melido Perez, Austin Jackson, Brett Gardner, Alan Horne? Please. The Steinbrenners only know how to do two things: spend boatloads of money and make headlines.
The Yankees have the back page of the Big Apple newspapers to themselves once more, upstaging the Mets' acquisitions of K-Rod & J.J. Putz. Those headlines may be important in December but let's see where Cashman, Girardi (who I think doesn't relate to this bunch of players at all), and company are come next October.
In other news & notes:
- Props to New Orleans Hornets guard Chris Paul for setting a new NBA record for most consecutive regular-season games with at least one steal, with 106. Paul's record-setting theft came with 3:43 left in the second quarter of last night's contest against the San Antonio Spurs. CP3 is arguably one of the best point guards in the NBA right now. He is a complete player and an absolute joy to watch. It's a shame the Hornets had to get moved to the Western Conference a few years back. If they were still in the East, I believe the quartet of Celtics, Pistons, Cavaliers, & Hornets could certainly rival the Western quartet of Spurs, Lakers, Suns, & Jazz.
- Auburn, one of the more successful college football programs of the last decade under Tommy Tuberville, hired former defensive coordinator Gene Chizik as its new head coach. Chizik had a 5-19 record (including 10 straight losses) in two years as the head coach at Iowa State. Auburn alum Charles Barkley has ripped this hiring up and down for the past week. The president of the university has come out and said that he takes full responsibility for the hiring. They pushed a great coach in Tuberville out the door and Chizik was the best they could do? Sorry, Gene. I'm with Charles on this one.
- What in the world is going on with Mark Teixeira? For weeks everyone has assumed he would sign with an East Coast team, as the Red Sox were widely considered the front-runners in this free-agent sweepstakes. Now all of a sudden the Sox are saying they will not be a factor in Teixeira's decision. You're going to tell me that the Orioles and Nationals outbid the Sox? I don't think so. This one reeks of Yankee pinstripes. Stay tuned...
- The NBA season isn't even two months old and already we've seen six coaches get the axe. Reggie Theus (Sacramento), Eddie Jordan (Washington), P.J. Carlesimo (Oklahoma City), Sam Mitchell (Toronto), Randy Wittman (Minnesota), & Maurice Cheeks (Philadelphia) have all been asked to step aside. I understand the concept of making an in-season coaching change to provide a spark but none of these guys are being replaced by big-ticket coaches. Front office types and no-name assistants are stepping up to fill the voids. Pretty embarrassing, isn't it David Stern?
- Congrats to Padraig Harrington on becoming the 1st European-born player to win the PGA Tour Player of the Year Award.
- The NFL Playoff race is heating up and this weekend features two matchups that will decide home-field advantage: Titans/Steelers in the AFC and Panthers/Giants in the NFC. It's a winner-take-all scenario as the victors of these contests will be guaranteed a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. The losers will get a nice consolation prize, though, a first-round bye.
- From the hot starts department: The Boston Celtics set an NBA record for the best 25-game start in league history, racing out of the gate at 23-2. The defending champs are currently riding a 16-game winning streak. The San Jose Sharks set an NHL record for the best 30-game start, playing to a 25-3-2 record. The Sharks are still undefeated at home (16-0-2) but have lost their last two contests. The Celtics have proven they can win when it counts. The Sharks, who have had hot regular season stretches before, have never even made it to the Stanley Cup Finals let alone won Lord Stanley's Cup.
- Syracuse football is finally starting to take shape in the aftermath of the G-Rob Era. The hiring of SU alum and former Saints offensive coordinator Doug Marrone has been met with a lot of buzz in the Syracuse community. His enthusiasm is infectious and the media is thrilled that he actually answers questions with complete sentences and thoughts. Marrone retained defensive line coach Derrick Jackson and linebackers coach Dan Conley (another SU alum) from the old staff while hiring former Clemson OC Rob Spence as his offensive coordinator. It should be interesting to see how the rest of his staff shakes out.
- Oklahoma RB Demarco Murray ruptured his hamstring and will be out for the FedEx BCS National Title Game against Florida. Murray is the nation's 3rd-leading all-purpose yardage gainer and will be missed. However, I think Sooner QB Sam Bradford has more than enough weapons at his disposal to contend with the Gators.
- The college football bowl season begins bright and early Saturday morning with the brand-new EagleBank Bowl in Washington, D.C. Navy (8-4) takes on Wake Forest (7-5) in what will be the first of this year's 34 bowl matchups. It's the most wonderful time of the year.
- Congrats to Jeff Hardy on winning his first career WWE Championship this past Sunday at Armageddon, defeating Edge & Triple H in a Triple Threat Match in the Smackdown! side of the main event. As a huge Triple H fan, it was a little tough to stomach this one but Hardy is an exciting performer and his main-event breakthrough was long overdue. Sadly, John Cena retained the World Heavyweight Championship over Chris Jericho on the RAW side of the main event. Despite the loss, 2008 was still a heck of a year for Jericho as he finally captured a second World Title and cemented his place as the top heel on RAW.
- Finally, I will leave you this week with a little tidbit from New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin: "Coaching is making players do what they don't want to do so that they can become what they want to become."
Until next time.
-Meech
Friday, December 19, 2008
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
On the next "Miami Vice"... - 12/10/08
Before I get this thing started I just want to say that we will back to the regular format this week: a sizable rant about one particular topic and then a few random thoughts on some sporting tidbits from the week that was.
Hey, New York Jets fans, don’t look in your rearview mirror right now but a familiar face is gaining on you in the AFC East race. That face, of course, would be Miami Dolphins quarterback Chad Pennington. Back in August (shortly after the Brett Favre deal was consummated) I wrote a post (on my old blog host) stating that Jets fans may come to miss Pennington more than they know. Well, here we are with just three weeks left in the NFL regular season and the Dolphins are tied with the Jets (and the Patriots) atop the AFC East at 8-5…and Pennington is the man leading the charge.
Pennington has thrown for 3,062 yards and 12 touchdowns with a 93.7 QB rating so far this season. Favre has been the typical gun-slinging Favre, throwing for 2,845 yards and 20 touchdowns while sprinkling in 15 interceptions. But it’s not about the stats. To really appreciate what’s going on here, you have to look at the details in the big picture.
Pennington was cast aside like yesterday’s news, cut almost immediately after the Favre deal became official. He was scooped up by Miami just two days later and within a week of practice time was put in charge of reviving a 1-15 team that had more than its fair share of problems moving the football. Favre, meanwhile, was brought in with AFC Championship and Super Bowl dreams for the Broadway faithful. Fourteen weeks later both men are the pilots of 8-5 teams but if you look closely, these two squads couldn’t be any further apart.
The Dolphins are, perhaps, the surprise story of the league. Head coach Tony Sparano, offensive coordinator Dan Henning, defensive coordinator Paul Pasqualoni, and leading executive Bill Parcells completely changed the culture surrounding the franchise, overhauled the schemes on both sides of the football, and brought in their kind of hard-nosed football players. They have balance in the run and pass game and they are incredibly efficient with the football. Yes, the Dolphins (not the Titans, Giants, or Bucs) currently lead the NFL with a +12 turnover differential. Pennington has thrown just six interceptions and the team has only lost four fumbles, totaling just ten Dolphins turnovers (They’ve forced 22.).
The Jets, on the other hand, have lost their last two, to the average Denver Broncos and the woeful San Francisco 49ers. Just two weeks ago the Jets were 8-3 and there was talk of a Giants Stadium Super Bowl. Now the Jets are 8-5 and fighting for their playoff lives. With the superb play of the Steelers and Ravens in the AFC North and the Titans and Colts in the AFC South it is very possible that only team will get in from the AFC East, the division winner.
The schedule may offer a break for the Jets as they get Buffalo and Miami at home while traveling to Seattle in between to close out the season. But Favre is turning the ball over like it’s his job and he’s throwing for just 218.8 yards a game. Remember a few weeks back when it seemed like everyone was going out of their way to praise Favre, teammates included. Now all of a sudden I don’t hear much coming out of the Jets’ Florham Park facility, just the sound of a team that has blown its chance to secure a playoff berth and is now settling in for the fight of its life. And let’s not get started on head coach Eric “The Man-Genius” Mangini. He and his staff are poorly misusing Favre and one has to wonder if he will ever take the reigns off his future Hall of Fame quarterback at the right time in the football game. The few times he’s decided to let loose it couldn’t have been any worse as he gave up on the run way too soon in the game. Hey, Thomas Jones is having a career season after all. I still don’t think Mangini understands what he has with Favre and he’s running out of time to figure it out. The regular season is almost over and the odds of Favre coming back for the 2009 season are quite long.
The praise for Pennington keeps pouring in, though, as the Dolphins have won six of their last seven contests:
“It has helped a whole lot getting a player of that caliber to be the leader of your offense…He’s like the pied piper…He’s just saying, ‘This is what we’re doing’ and they look forward to doing it.” – Tony Sparano, Dolphins head coach
“When he walked in here the first day, he had an agenda. He wants it bad enough to do whatever it takes, and it rubs off on these other players. That was very good for this team at this point in time.” – Dan Henning, Dolphins offensive coordinator
“He lifts up our spirits like our father. He’s like a dad out there. When we’re out there and we’re feeling down, he just gives us a little saying to get us pumped up.” – Samson Satele, Dolphins center
I’m sure most Jets fans would still take Favre and his rocket arm in a heartbeat over Pennington and his smarts. But come Week 17 at the Meadowlands it may all very well be on the line: playoff berth, AFC East title, and first round home game, when the Dolphins and Jets meet to close out the season. And maybe I’m the only one who’s curious but I wonder which head coach…I mean, quarterback…Jets fans would like to have at that point because it’s very possible that the “Man Genius” and the “Favre Project” will hit rock bottom courtesy of poor play-calling, lack of game management, flat players, and turnovers galore…I’m just sayin’…
Some other news and notes:
- The college football bowl lineup is set and there are plenty of interesting storylines besides the Oklahoma/Florida National Championship matchup. How about Vanderbilt returning to a bowl game for the first time since 1982? How about Utah going down to the Sugar Bowl to try and stun Alabama? How about Hawaii having a chance to show everyone that a 6-6 Notre Dame team has no business going to a bowl game? And how about what could turn out to be the best bowl matchup of the holiday season: 12-0 Boise State versus 10-2 TCU in the Poinsettia Bowl?
- Major League Baseball’s Winter Meetings are up and running at full speed. The Mets get K-Rod and are closing in on J.J. Putz to set him up. The Yanks get CC and make an offer to A.J. Burnett. The Nats offer Mark Teixeira an eight-year deal. Jake Peavy is on the verge of heading to Wrigley. The Royals are in the running for Rafael Furcal. The Indians are close to grabbing Kerry Wood. After nearly two stagnant months following the World Series things are definitely heating up on the Hot Stove.
- The Syracuse search for a new head football coach continues. Does anyone want this job at this point? After many interviews it looks like it will go one of three ways: Skip Holtz, Turner Gill, or Al Golden. Stay tuned…
- The Devils are finally coming to life in the wake of losing Martin Brodeur. They have won eight of their last nine games, improved to 15-8-2 overall, and upped their record to 9-6 since losing Brodeur during their November 1st game against Atlanta. Scott Clemmensen has come back from AHL exile with Toronto’s minor-league affiliate and is starting to look like an NHL goaltender again. This is extremely encouraging heading into Friday’s showdown with the hated Blueshirts.
- Triple H looks to regain the WWE Championship (becoming a 13-time WWE Champion in the process) in a Triple Threat Match against Jeff Hardy and reigning WWE Champion Edge at Armageddon this Sunday on pay-per-view. In the RAW half of the main event, Chris “Don’t Call Me Y2J” Jericho looks to regain the World Heavyweight Championship against John Cena. Should be interesting.
- Finally, yesterday saw the conclusion of “Jimmy V Week” as #6 Texas took down #15 Villanova and #23 Davidson beat West Virginia in the Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden. “Jimmy V Week” celebrates the life of former college basketball coach Jim Valvano, the man who orchestrated what may have been the greatest Cinderella story in NCAA history when he guided N.C. State to the 1983 National Championship. “Jimmy V Week” also raises cancer awareness and brings in funds for the V Foundation for Cancer Research. Valvano’s speech at the 1993 ESPY Awards is still one of the most heart-wrenching moments I’ve ever seen. Valvano said it best himself: “We need money for research. It may not save my life. It may save my children’s lives. It may save someone you love.” And of course we all remember, “Don’t give up. Don’t ever give up.” Jimmy V was a class act all the way and his foundation has raised over $80 million for cancer research since being founded in 1994. If you find yourself in need of a good cry or a little inspiration, go here and watch Valvano’s 1993 speech: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuoVM9nm42E
Until next time.
-Meech
Hey, New York Jets fans, don’t look in your rearview mirror right now but a familiar face is gaining on you in the AFC East race. That face, of course, would be Miami Dolphins quarterback Chad Pennington. Back in August (shortly after the Brett Favre deal was consummated) I wrote a post (on my old blog host) stating that Jets fans may come to miss Pennington more than they know. Well, here we are with just three weeks left in the NFL regular season and the Dolphins are tied with the Jets (and the Patriots) atop the AFC East at 8-5…and Pennington is the man leading the charge.
Pennington has thrown for 3,062 yards and 12 touchdowns with a 93.7 QB rating so far this season. Favre has been the typical gun-slinging Favre, throwing for 2,845 yards and 20 touchdowns while sprinkling in 15 interceptions. But it’s not about the stats. To really appreciate what’s going on here, you have to look at the details in the big picture.
Pennington was cast aside like yesterday’s news, cut almost immediately after the Favre deal became official. He was scooped up by Miami just two days later and within a week of practice time was put in charge of reviving a 1-15 team that had more than its fair share of problems moving the football. Favre, meanwhile, was brought in with AFC Championship and Super Bowl dreams for the Broadway faithful. Fourteen weeks later both men are the pilots of 8-5 teams but if you look closely, these two squads couldn’t be any further apart.
The Dolphins are, perhaps, the surprise story of the league. Head coach Tony Sparano, offensive coordinator Dan Henning, defensive coordinator Paul Pasqualoni, and leading executive Bill Parcells completely changed the culture surrounding the franchise, overhauled the schemes on both sides of the football, and brought in their kind of hard-nosed football players. They have balance in the run and pass game and they are incredibly efficient with the football. Yes, the Dolphins (not the Titans, Giants, or Bucs) currently lead the NFL with a +12 turnover differential. Pennington has thrown just six interceptions and the team has only lost four fumbles, totaling just ten Dolphins turnovers (They’ve forced 22.).
The Jets, on the other hand, have lost their last two, to the average Denver Broncos and the woeful San Francisco 49ers. Just two weeks ago the Jets were 8-3 and there was talk of a Giants Stadium Super Bowl. Now the Jets are 8-5 and fighting for their playoff lives. With the superb play of the Steelers and Ravens in the AFC North and the Titans and Colts in the AFC South it is very possible that only team will get in from the AFC East, the division winner.
The schedule may offer a break for the Jets as they get Buffalo and Miami at home while traveling to Seattle in between to close out the season. But Favre is turning the ball over like it’s his job and he’s throwing for just 218.8 yards a game. Remember a few weeks back when it seemed like everyone was going out of their way to praise Favre, teammates included. Now all of a sudden I don’t hear much coming out of the Jets’ Florham Park facility, just the sound of a team that has blown its chance to secure a playoff berth and is now settling in for the fight of its life. And let’s not get started on head coach Eric “The Man-Genius” Mangini. He and his staff are poorly misusing Favre and one has to wonder if he will ever take the reigns off his future Hall of Fame quarterback at the right time in the football game. The few times he’s decided to let loose it couldn’t have been any worse as he gave up on the run way too soon in the game. Hey, Thomas Jones is having a career season after all. I still don’t think Mangini understands what he has with Favre and he’s running out of time to figure it out. The regular season is almost over and the odds of Favre coming back for the 2009 season are quite long.
The praise for Pennington keeps pouring in, though, as the Dolphins have won six of their last seven contests:
“It has helped a whole lot getting a player of that caliber to be the leader of your offense…He’s like the pied piper…He’s just saying, ‘This is what we’re doing’ and they look forward to doing it.” – Tony Sparano, Dolphins head coach
“When he walked in here the first day, he had an agenda. He wants it bad enough to do whatever it takes, and it rubs off on these other players. That was very good for this team at this point in time.” – Dan Henning, Dolphins offensive coordinator
“He lifts up our spirits like our father. He’s like a dad out there. When we’re out there and we’re feeling down, he just gives us a little saying to get us pumped up.” – Samson Satele, Dolphins center
I’m sure most Jets fans would still take Favre and his rocket arm in a heartbeat over Pennington and his smarts. But come Week 17 at the Meadowlands it may all very well be on the line: playoff berth, AFC East title, and first round home game, when the Dolphins and Jets meet to close out the season. And maybe I’m the only one who’s curious but I wonder which head coach…I mean, quarterback…Jets fans would like to have at that point because it’s very possible that the “Man Genius” and the “Favre Project” will hit rock bottom courtesy of poor play-calling, lack of game management, flat players, and turnovers galore…I’m just sayin’…
Some other news and notes:
- The college football bowl lineup is set and there are plenty of interesting storylines besides the Oklahoma/Florida National Championship matchup. How about Vanderbilt returning to a bowl game for the first time since 1982? How about Utah going down to the Sugar Bowl to try and stun Alabama? How about Hawaii having a chance to show everyone that a 6-6 Notre Dame team has no business going to a bowl game? And how about what could turn out to be the best bowl matchup of the holiday season: 12-0 Boise State versus 10-2 TCU in the Poinsettia Bowl?
- Major League Baseball’s Winter Meetings are up and running at full speed. The Mets get K-Rod and are closing in on J.J. Putz to set him up. The Yanks get CC and make an offer to A.J. Burnett. The Nats offer Mark Teixeira an eight-year deal. Jake Peavy is on the verge of heading to Wrigley. The Royals are in the running for Rafael Furcal. The Indians are close to grabbing Kerry Wood. After nearly two stagnant months following the World Series things are definitely heating up on the Hot Stove.
- The Syracuse search for a new head football coach continues. Does anyone want this job at this point? After many interviews it looks like it will go one of three ways: Skip Holtz, Turner Gill, or Al Golden. Stay tuned…
- The Devils are finally coming to life in the wake of losing Martin Brodeur. They have won eight of their last nine games, improved to 15-8-2 overall, and upped their record to 9-6 since losing Brodeur during their November 1st game against Atlanta. Scott Clemmensen has come back from AHL exile with Toronto’s minor-league affiliate and is starting to look like an NHL goaltender again. This is extremely encouraging heading into Friday’s showdown with the hated Blueshirts.
- Triple H looks to regain the WWE Championship (becoming a 13-time WWE Champion in the process) in a Triple Threat Match against Jeff Hardy and reigning WWE Champion Edge at Armageddon this Sunday on pay-per-view. In the RAW half of the main event, Chris “Don’t Call Me Y2J” Jericho looks to regain the World Heavyweight Championship against John Cena. Should be interesting.
- Finally, yesterday saw the conclusion of “Jimmy V Week” as #6 Texas took down #15 Villanova and #23 Davidson beat West Virginia in the Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden. “Jimmy V Week” celebrates the life of former college basketball coach Jim Valvano, the man who orchestrated what may have been the greatest Cinderella story in NCAA history when he guided N.C. State to the 1983 National Championship. “Jimmy V Week” also raises cancer awareness and brings in funds for the V Foundation for Cancer Research. Valvano’s speech at the 1993 ESPY Awards is still one of the most heart-wrenching moments I’ve ever seen. Valvano said it best himself: “We need money for research. It may not save my life. It may save my children’s lives. It may save someone you love.” And of course we all remember, “Don’t give up. Don’t ever give up.” Jimmy V was a class act all the way and his foundation has raised over $80 million for cancer research since being founded in 1994. If you find yourself in need of a good cry or a little inspiration, go here and watch Valvano’s 1993 speech: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuoVM9nm42E
Until next time.
-Meech
Thursday, December 4, 2008
'Tis the Season - 12/4/08
After some tech issues, Coach Meech and his sports blog have finally returned to the Internet Universe. Now on with the show…
Indeed it is the season once again, the time of the year when the college football coaching carousel begins to turn like crazy. It started a little early this year, in the first week of October, when the University of Washington gave Tyrone Willingham his walking papers. Then Phil Fulmer got the ax at Tennessee and Lane Kiffin was hired to replace him. Sylvester Croom walked away from Mississippi State. Then, Missouri offensive coordinator Dave Christensen became the first high-profile Division 1-A assistant coach to move on, taking the head coaching job at Wyoming. Now here we are less than 24 hours removed from the dismissal of Tommy Tuberville at Auburn.
Tuberville’s firing has been about five years in the making. Who could forget the 2003 season? Auburn finished that season 8-5, capping the year with a 28-14 win over Wisconsin in the Music City Bowl. To that point Tuberville had won three SEC Western Division Titles in his five seasons on the Plains but apparently that wasn’t good enough. Auburn officials and boosters flew out to Louisville on a private jet to woo then-Cardinals coach Bobby Petrino. Of course Petrino played along (just like he always does) and romanced the Tiger faithful for a little while and then decided to stay put. Tuberville was reluctantly brought back for the 2004 season and only turned in a perfect 13-0 season capped by a 16-13 win over Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl. Auburn defeated five Top 15 teams that season and beat Alabama in the annual Iron Bowl.
Tuberville leaves Auburn with an 85-40 record (52-30 in the SEC) in ten seasons on the Plains. Auburn won or shared five SEC Western Division crowns during his tenure. He also went 7-3 in the annual Iron Bowl game against arch-rival Alabama. Auburn had made eight consecutive bowl game appearances before this year’s 5-7 finish. By the way, Auburn went 3-8 and finished dead-last in the SEC Western Division the year before Tuberville's arrival. But the university higher-ups got their wish. Tuberville is history. If I were on the Plains, I would be absolutely embarrassed at the way the Auburn administration treated Tuberville through the back end of his tenure. I wonder who Auburn really thinks can replace him. Mike Leach? Maybe, if Washington doesn’t get to him first.
Speaking of “Who’s next,” that brings me to my alma mater, the Syracuse University Orangemen (Screw you, Nancy Cantor. They will always be the Orangemen to me, not the neutered Orange.) The Greg Robinson Era officially ended (mercifully) with a 30-10 loss to the Big East champion Cincinnati Bearcats. It’s always tough as a fellow football coach to see these coaches get fired, especially G-Rob, considering the professional opportunities that he and his staff afforded me through my time at Syracuse; but, alas, this is just how the business goes. Before I get into the coaching candidates I just want to highlight the three big mistakes that I believe sank Robinson at Syracuse.
1. The Coaching Staff: I truly believe this was G-Rob’s biggest mistake. This was his first head coaching job at any level. So what does he go out and do? He hires three assistants who had never been full-time Division 1-A assistants and an offensive coordinator who had never been a coordinator at the 1-A level. Major Applewhite (QB), Tim Cross (DL), and Scott Spencer (DB) all went from the ranks of graduate assistant to full-time position coach under G-Rob. Granted, these three men are doing very well for themselves now but it came at the expense of Syracuse as their on-the-job training was done in the Salt City. Brian Pariani (offensive coordinator) is also doing well for himself now but he learned the hard way at Syracuse as well. He was the tight ends coach for the Denver Broncos before arriving with G-Rob. During his tenure he had this guy, you might know his name, Shannon Sharpe. I wonder how much coaching Pariani had to do there...
2. The Scheme: G-Rob’s base 4-3 Under defense is a dynamite scheme. It has many different coverage disguises and can pressure the quarterback from an assortment of angles. There’s just a tiny little problem…It needs NFL-caliber athletes at all of the key positions (strong safety, “spinner” defensive end, and middle linebacker). In his first year at the ‘Cuse, he had three NFL players at this positions (Anthony Smith, Ryan LaCasse, and Kelvin Smith) and the ‘Cuse defense finished in the top third in the country in total defense and turnover margin. Then the well ran dry and those type of players just don’t come to Syracuse, which brings me to the final mistake.
3. Not Understanding the Situation: Syracuse is a unique animal. It has the proud history of a storied and successful college football program. Yet it can also be grouped with schools like Vanderbilt, Duke, and Northwestern. These are schools that aren’t playing with a full deck in power conferences. The ‘Cuse is a private school competing in a conference with large, land-grant, state-funded public schools. The facilities have been behind the rest of the Big East for years and I don’t believe G-Rob understood the problems that Syracuse posed in this or the recruiting department. He did not have a very good understanding of Northeast football and I don’t really believe he understood just where he was losing recruits from.
With that out of the way let’s look at who’s next. Lane Kiffin is off the table as he is the man at Tennessee now. Good thing, too, because that hire probably would have been G-Rob Part II. Al Golden (head coach at Temple) pulled his name out of the running after interviewing. Chip Kelly, who interviewed and was reported to have very serious interest in the job, was named the head coach-in-waiting at Oregon after Mike Bellotti takes over as athletic director. I really believe Kelly was close to being hired by Dr. Gross but Oregon sensed that and struck quickly. Randy Edsall (head coach at UConn) continues to express his disinterest in the job as well. Mike Leach is a huge stretch. If he leaves Lubbock, it’ll be for either Seattle or the Plains.
So who are the viable candidates? What makes a viable candidate? Does he have to have Syracuse ties? Does he have to know Northeast football? Does he have to possess head coaching experience? Should he have any NFL experience to his name? I’m not really sure if there are concrete answers to these questions. I think it’s more important for everyone to realize that Syracuse is not the job it may have once been.
The ‘Cuse is in the not-so-strong Big East and it is still struggling to get players, money, and wins. The Carrier Dome is not the recruiting tool it was when it went up in 1980. While Syracuse has put some money into new facilities they are still light years behind their conference foes. Rutgers, UConn, Boston College, and Penn State are taking all the talent in the Northeast. There hasn’t been an offensive identity at Syracuse since Kevin Rogers & Donovan McNabb packed up and left. The flipside to all of this, though, is that the Big East just isn’t that strong. There’s no reason that Syracuse couldn’t compete with West Virginia, Louisville, Pitt, and South Florida every year if the right guy comes in.
He needs to be a college guy. I don’t care how much NFL experience you have. The college game and the NFL game are two very different games. With that in mind, I cannot endorse Mark Whipple (Philadelphia Eagles offensive assistant) or Doug Marrone (New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator). I also think head coaching experience is a must. People going into their first head coaching job tend to hire close friends rather than coaches that can mask their defencies (see G-Rob). So adios, Dan Mullen (Florida offensive coordinator) and Steve Addazio (Florida offensive line coach). I’ll make an exception for Mike Locksley (Illinois offensive coordinator) because I think he brings some other things to the table. And sadly for Syracuse I see affordability as a priority. Between paying G-Rob’s buyout, possibly paying the new coach’s buyout, and then paying the new coach his regular salary, it may all be a bit too pricey for Dr. Gross. That should take Edsall, Tuberville, Willingham, Fulmer, and Leach out of the running. And I also want someone who actually wants to be in the Salt City. That may bring Addazio (a very popular alumni choice) back into the mix and sends Turner Gill (Buffalo head coach) packing.
So what are we left with:
Mike Locksley (Illinois offensive coordinator)
He is widely regarded as one of the best recruiters in the country working under Ron Zook (who brought in a lot of those players Urban Meyer won the national championship with at Florida). He is familiar with northern football, having worked in the smash-mouth Big Ten along with stops at Maryland, Army, and Navy. He is also a 39-year-old minority candidate. This can open some doors that have never been present at Syracuse and could appeal to some recruits. His youthful enthusiasm may also be just the thing we need to get this program going. He strikes me as the type of person who wants to see this thing through. However, let’s not forget that he has zero head coaching experience.
Skip Holtz (East Carolina head coach)
Holtz certainly has the coaching pedigree (father Lou is in the College Football Hall of Fame and was the last coach to really win games at Notre Dame). He has major college experience, working as the offensive coordinator under his father at both Notre Dame & South Carolina. He was the head coach at UConn and guided the school to its first-ever appearance in the 1-AA Playoffs. It was his hard work that laid the foundation for Randy Edsall to raise the program to 1-A heights. Maybe Holtz would like to stick it to Edsall a little bit as Holtz is widely overlooked when it comes to giving credit to those who built UConn football. Holtz has done well at East Carolina, guiding them to bowl games the last two seasons and is on his way to a third this year. I’m not sure how he would fit in at the ‘Cuse, though, and his price tag may be a bit too high.
Steve Addazio (Florida offensive line coach)
Here’s another guy with no head coaching experience yet many former players strongly endorse his candidacy. He was the offensive line coach at Syracuse for four seasons so he understands the unique situation in upstate New York. He also has experience at Notre Dame and Indiana. He got his coaching start at Western Connecticut State (WestConn) where he served under good old Coach P. The players really like his attitude and he certainly seems very interested in the job. For what it’s worth, though, Dan Mullen (Florida offensive coordinator) was a graduate assistant at Syracuse and is the man driving Urban Meyer’s offense.
Brady Hoke (Ball State head coach)
Here’s a name that doesn’t really pop up immediately to most. Hoke has a lot of respect for the job he’s done at Ball State, taking what many viewed as a hopeless situation and turning it into the class of the MAC. He has worked at Oregon State and Michigan and strikes many as a no-nonsense type of coach. That discipline is something that is sorely needed at Syracuse. Ball State is Hoke’s alma mater and it may take a lot of money to get him to go elsewhere. He was a candidate for the Washington State job in 2007 and his brother, Jon, is the defensive backs coach for the Houston Texans.
Chris Petersen (Boise State head coach)
I understand that Petersen is a West Coast guy (graduated from UC-Davis) and seems very comfortable at Boise. I also know that he comes with a very hefty price tag. Bottom line, though, is that this guy can coach. He went from offensive coordinator to head coach after Dan Hawkins left for Colorado and actually made the program even better. In his first season at the helm Boise took down Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl. He has also made coaching stops at Oregon and Pitt. I believe his name, success, and wide-open offensive and defensive schemes can make up for his lack of East Coast knowledge. This would be a huge hire for Dr. Gross. But let’s get real. Petersen can pretty much go wherever he wants. And one has to believe that the ‘Cuse is not his destination of choice. Many believe he wanted the Oregon job and with that no longer possible maybe he’d be willing to look East.
With all this in mind, my endorsement for the moment has to go to Locksley. I would love to see Willingham, as he has plenty of experience and has won games in similar college climates (Notre Dame & Stanford), but it’s just not going to happen there. Locksley brings a power running game, far more suited for the Big East, and an attacking defensive scheme. He can recruit, which should be number one priority for Syracuse. He’s young and that enthusiasm is infectious on a coaching staff, a team, an athletic department, a university, and a community. He is very well-respected in coaching circles and would be an excellent representative of the Syracuse community. I understand that he does not have head coaching experience but he strikes me as the type who would be smart enough to hire a good staff to surround him and cover that up. His combination of youth and patience are vital because I think it’s going to take 3-5 years to get this Syracuse program going in the right direction.
Paul Pasqualoni left the program in a state of greater disarray than anyone wants to admit and the combination of G-Rob and Dr. Gross has practically brought it to its knees. Locksley has learned from the Zooker up at Illinois and I believe that he’ll be fully committed to the rebuilding that is necessary in the Salt City. And let's not forget that Locksley's name was thrown around a lot last summer when many were clamoring for G-Rob's dismissal.
Just to throw a few more names out there, though. With the turmoil surrounding Tennessee and Auburn, two of the best defensive coordinators in college football may very well be available in John Chavis and Paul Rhoads. Think about it.
Until next time.
-Meech
Indeed it is the season once again, the time of the year when the college football coaching carousel begins to turn like crazy. It started a little early this year, in the first week of October, when the University of Washington gave Tyrone Willingham his walking papers. Then Phil Fulmer got the ax at Tennessee and Lane Kiffin was hired to replace him. Sylvester Croom walked away from Mississippi State. Then, Missouri offensive coordinator Dave Christensen became the first high-profile Division 1-A assistant coach to move on, taking the head coaching job at Wyoming. Now here we are less than 24 hours removed from the dismissal of Tommy Tuberville at Auburn.
Tuberville’s firing has been about five years in the making. Who could forget the 2003 season? Auburn finished that season 8-5, capping the year with a 28-14 win over Wisconsin in the Music City Bowl. To that point Tuberville had won three SEC Western Division Titles in his five seasons on the Plains but apparently that wasn’t good enough. Auburn officials and boosters flew out to Louisville on a private jet to woo then-Cardinals coach Bobby Petrino. Of course Petrino played along (just like he always does) and romanced the Tiger faithful for a little while and then decided to stay put. Tuberville was reluctantly brought back for the 2004 season and only turned in a perfect 13-0 season capped by a 16-13 win over Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl. Auburn defeated five Top 15 teams that season and beat Alabama in the annual Iron Bowl.
Tuberville leaves Auburn with an 85-40 record (52-30 in the SEC) in ten seasons on the Plains. Auburn won or shared five SEC Western Division crowns during his tenure. He also went 7-3 in the annual Iron Bowl game against arch-rival Alabama. Auburn had made eight consecutive bowl game appearances before this year’s 5-7 finish. By the way, Auburn went 3-8 and finished dead-last in the SEC Western Division the year before Tuberville's arrival. But the university higher-ups got their wish. Tuberville is history. If I were on the Plains, I would be absolutely embarrassed at the way the Auburn administration treated Tuberville through the back end of his tenure. I wonder who Auburn really thinks can replace him. Mike Leach? Maybe, if Washington doesn’t get to him first.
Speaking of “Who’s next,” that brings me to my alma mater, the Syracuse University Orangemen (Screw you, Nancy Cantor. They will always be the Orangemen to me, not the neutered Orange.) The Greg Robinson Era officially ended (mercifully) with a 30-10 loss to the Big East champion Cincinnati Bearcats. It’s always tough as a fellow football coach to see these coaches get fired, especially G-Rob, considering the professional opportunities that he and his staff afforded me through my time at Syracuse; but, alas, this is just how the business goes. Before I get into the coaching candidates I just want to highlight the three big mistakes that I believe sank Robinson at Syracuse.
1. The Coaching Staff: I truly believe this was G-Rob’s biggest mistake. This was his first head coaching job at any level. So what does he go out and do? He hires three assistants who had never been full-time Division 1-A assistants and an offensive coordinator who had never been a coordinator at the 1-A level. Major Applewhite (QB), Tim Cross (DL), and Scott Spencer (DB) all went from the ranks of graduate assistant to full-time position coach under G-Rob. Granted, these three men are doing very well for themselves now but it came at the expense of Syracuse as their on-the-job training was done in the Salt City. Brian Pariani (offensive coordinator) is also doing well for himself now but he learned the hard way at Syracuse as well. He was the tight ends coach for the Denver Broncos before arriving with G-Rob. During his tenure he had this guy, you might know his name, Shannon Sharpe. I wonder how much coaching Pariani had to do there...
2. The Scheme: G-Rob’s base 4-3 Under defense is a dynamite scheme. It has many different coverage disguises and can pressure the quarterback from an assortment of angles. There’s just a tiny little problem…It needs NFL-caliber athletes at all of the key positions (strong safety, “spinner” defensive end, and middle linebacker). In his first year at the ‘Cuse, he had three NFL players at this positions (Anthony Smith, Ryan LaCasse, and Kelvin Smith) and the ‘Cuse defense finished in the top third in the country in total defense and turnover margin. Then the well ran dry and those type of players just don’t come to Syracuse, which brings me to the final mistake.
3. Not Understanding the Situation: Syracuse is a unique animal. It has the proud history of a storied and successful college football program. Yet it can also be grouped with schools like Vanderbilt, Duke, and Northwestern. These are schools that aren’t playing with a full deck in power conferences. The ‘Cuse is a private school competing in a conference with large, land-grant, state-funded public schools. The facilities have been behind the rest of the Big East for years and I don’t believe G-Rob understood the problems that Syracuse posed in this or the recruiting department. He did not have a very good understanding of Northeast football and I don’t really believe he understood just where he was losing recruits from.
With that out of the way let’s look at who’s next. Lane Kiffin is off the table as he is the man at Tennessee now. Good thing, too, because that hire probably would have been G-Rob Part II. Al Golden (head coach at Temple) pulled his name out of the running after interviewing. Chip Kelly, who interviewed and was reported to have very serious interest in the job, was named the head coach-in-waiting at Oregon after Mike Bellotti takes over as athletic director. I really believe Kelly was close to being hired by Dr. Gross but Oregon sensed that and struck quickly. Randy Edsall (head coach at UConn) continues to express his disinterest in the job as well. Mike Leach is a huge stretch. If he leaves Lubbock, it’ll be for either Seattle or the Plains.
So who are the viable candidates? What makes a viable candidate? Does he have to have Syracuse ties? Does he have to know Northeast football? Does he have to possess head coaching experience? Should he have any NFL experience to his name? I’m not really sure if there are concrete answers to these questions. I think it’s more important for everyone to realize that Syracuse is not the job it may have once been.
The ‘Cuse is in the not-so-strong Big East and it is still struggling to get players, money, and wins. The Carrier Dome is not the recruiting tool it was when it went up in 1980. While Syracuse has put some money into new facilities they are still light years behind their conference foes. Rutgers, UConn, Boston College, and Penn State are taking all the talent in the Northeast. There hasn’t been an offensive identity at Syracuse since Kevin Rogers & Donovan McNabb packed up and left. The flipside to all of this, though, is that the Big East just isn’t that strong. There’s no reason that Syracuse couldn’t compete with West Virginia, Louisville, Pitt, and South Florida every year if the right guy comes in.
He needs to be a college guy. I don’t care how much NFL experience you have. The college game and the NFL game are two very different games. With that in mind, I cannot endorse Mark Whipple (Philadelphia Eagles offensive assistant) or Doug Marrone (New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator). I also think head coaching experience is a must. People going into their first head coaching job tend to hire close friends rather than coaches that can mask their defencies (see G-Rob). So adios, Dan Mullen (Florida offensive coordinator) and Steve Addazio (Florida offensive line coach). I’ll make an exception for Mike Locksley (Illinois offensive coordinator) because I think he brings some other things to the table. And sadly for Syracuse I see affordability as a priority. Between paying G-Rob’s buyout, possibly paying the new coach’s buyout, and then paying the new coach his regular salary, it may all be a bit too pricey for Dr. Gross. That should take Edsall, Tuberville, Willingham, Fulmer, and Leach out of the running. And I also want someone who actually wants to be in the Salt City. That may bring Addazio (a very popular alumni choice) back into the mix and sends Turner Gill (Buffalo head coach) packing.
So what are we left with:
Mike Locksley (Illinois offensive coordinator)
He is widely regarded as one of the best recruiters in the country working under Ron Zook (who brought in a lot of those players Urban Meyer won the national championship with at Florida). He is familiar with northern football, having worked in the smash-mouth Big Ten along with stops at Maryland, Army, and Navy. He is also a 39-year-old minority candidate. This can open some doors that have never been present at Syracuse and could appeal to some recruits. His youthful enthusiasm may also be just the thing we need to get this program going. He strikes me as the type of person who wants to see this thing through. However, let’s not forget that he has zero head coaching experience.
Skip Holtz (East Carolina head coach)
Holtz certainly has the coaching pedigree (father Lou is in the College Football Hall of Fame and was the last coach to really win games at Notre Dame). He has major college experience, working as the offensive coordinator under his father at both Notre Dame & South Carolina. He was the head coach at UConn and guided the school to its first-ever appearance in the 1-AA Playoffs. It was his hard work that laid the foundation for Randy Edsall to raise the program to 1-A heights. Maybe Holtz would like to stick it to Edsall a little bit as Holtz is widely overlooked when it comes to giving credit to those who built UConn football. Holtz has done well at East Carolina, guiding them to bowl games the last two seasons and is on his way to a third this year. I’m not sure how he would fit in at the ‘Cuse, though, and his price tag may be a bit too high.
Steve Addazio (Florida offensive line coach)
Here’s another guy with no head coaching experience yet many former players strongly endorse his candidacy. He was the offensive line coach at Syracuse for four seasons so he understands the unique situation in upstate New York. He also has experience at Notre Dame and Indiana. He got his coaching start at Western Connecticut State (WestConn) where he served under good old Coach P. The players really like his attitude and he certainly seems very interested in the job. For what it’s worth, though, Dan Mullen (Florida offensive coordinator) was a graduate assistant at Syracuse and is the man driving Urban Meyer’s offense.
Brady Hoke (Ball State head coach)
Here’s a name that doesn’t really pop up immediately to most. Hoke has a lot of respect for the job he’s done at Ball State, taking what many viewed as a hopeless situation and turning it into the class of the MAC. He has worked at Oregon State and Michigan and strikes many as a no-nonsense type of coach. That discipline is something that is sorely needed at Syracuse. Ball State is Hoke’s alma mater and it may take a lot of money to get him to go elsewhere. He was a candidate for the Washington State job in 2007 and his brother, Jon, is the defensive backs coach for the Houston Texans.
Chris Petersen (Boise State head coach)
I understand that Petersen is a West Coast guy (graduated from UC-Davis) and seems very comfortable at Boise. I also know that he comes with a very hefty price tag. Bottom line, though, is that this guy can coach. He went from offensive coordinator to head coach after Dan Hawkins left for Colorado and actually made the program even better. In his first season at the helm Boise took down Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl. He has also made coaching stops at Oregon and Pitt. I believe his name, success, and wide-open offensive and defensive schemes can make up for his lack of East Coast knowledge. This would be a huge hire for Dr. Gross. But let’s get real. Petersen can pretty much go wherever he wants. And one has to believe that the ‘Cuse is not his destination of choice. Many believe he wanted the Oregon job and with that no longer possible maybe he’d be willing to look East.
With all this in mind, my endorsement for the moment has to go to Locksley. I would love to see Willingham, as he has plenty of experience and has won games in similar college climates (Notre Dame & Stanford), but it’s just not going to happen there. Locksley brings a power running game, far more suited for the Big East, and an attacking defensive scheme. He can recruit, which should be number one priority for Syracuse. He’s young and that enthusiasm is infectious on a coaching staff, a team, an athletic department, a university, and a community. He is very well-respected in coaching circles and would be an excellent representative of the Syracuse community. I understand that he does not have head coaching experience but he strikes me as the type who would be smart enough to hire a good staff to surround him and cover that up. His combination of youth and patience are vital because I think it’s going to take 3-5 years to get this Syracuse program going in the right direction.
Paul Pasqualoni left the program in a state of greater disarray than anyone wants to admit and the combination of G-Rob and Dr. Gross has practically brought it to its knees. Locksley has learned from the Zooker up at Illinois and I believe that he’ll be fully committed to the rebuilding that is necessary in the Salt City. And let's not forget that Locksley's name was thrown around a lot last summer when many were clamoring for G-Rob's dismissal.
Just to throw a few more names out there, though. With the turmoil surrounding Tennessee and Auburn, two of the best defensive coordinators in college football may very well be available in John Chavis and Paul Rhoads. Think about it.
Until next time.
-Meech
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