College Football Ping.
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Posted on 12/17/2006 1:50:06 PM PST by MikefromOhio
I don’t mean to rag on the state of Alabama again -- but it’s just so easy. As I said the day Mike Shula was fired, the Crimson Tide’s storied program is being held back by the incompetent, old-boy network that still calls the shots there. And now, cross-state competitor UAB is being plagued by the same problem.
According to Birmingham News columnist Kevin Scarbinsky, the Blazers were all set to hire their No. 1 coaching choice, LSU offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher, on Friday. Fisher, whose previous ties to the state include stints at Samford and Auburn, is a hot commodity these days. He was also up for the N.C. State job before the school opted for Boston College’s Tom O’Brien. Landing him would have given UAB’s second-rate football program a serious credibility boost.
According to Scarbinksy’s sources, however, the school’s board of trustees shot down the proposed $600,000 salary for Fisher -- an amount that is par for the course with other, competitive Conference USA schools -- under the auspices of “fiscal responsibility.” Mind you, that’s about the same salary UAB pays basketball coach Mike Davis, not to mention two local business leaders pledged to cover half the cost.
Now, before you go congratulating the board for taking a high-minded stand against escalating salaries, you need to know this: UAB is governed by the same board as the University of Alabama -- which had no such reservations about buying out the remainder of Shula’s contract (a contract the school extended just last year) for $4 million and authorizing a reported six-year, $12 million offer to West Virginia’s Rich Rodriguez.
Like I said ... it’s just too easy.
(Excerpt) Read more at sportsillustrated.cnn.com ...
They best do something soon. Personally I favor firing Mal Moore. They need to start recruiting.....
Yeah with as much press as there has been around both programs now, it really doesn't sound like Alabama OR UAB are in any better shape even if they get the guys they want to fill their positions.....
Not a good situation.
"More Bama shenanigans" ping
It's UAB this time though.
"College" football is a cesspool, especially in the upper division.
They need to go back to one-platoon football, utilizing REAL students. Let the NFL create their own farm system, and quit using universities as a free proving ground.
ummmm right sure thing....
Your gonna have "ole boy" networks when you have coach hirings that are subsidized by "good ole boys" that will pay half a coach's salary.
People should not be allowed to throw their weight around with salary slopbuckets like that. IMHO
I agree to a certain extent.
I like the idea of the alumni and boosters having a say in who is hired, but I don't like the boosters or anyone not directly associated with the Athletic Department paying a coach their salary.
Something about a conflict of allegiances....
I don't see much different here from most large Div. 1 schools with nationally recognized athletics......except for the incompetence of MAL MOORE and his supporters. I seem to remember OHstate players driving cars for free and the like.........certainly not perks from high powered (or low powered) boosters, right? Red herrings aside, big money college athletics (basketball, football) are totally out of control from the student-athlete perspective. The NCAA is a for-profit big business. Alabama needs an AD with some book-learnin to put the whole package together. Thugs and idiots are here to stay in sports for the time being, it's just how you use'm, right OHstate?
I see you have something against Ohio STate.
Why don't you just come out and say it?
Sure the system sucks, but I think the athletes should be able to get advertising contracts or whatever.
Not paid by the schools, who make millions off of them anyway, but by the boosters and whatnot.
And last I checked, Ohio State wasn't the team in shambles...It also wasn't the school that SHOULD HAVE gotten the death penalty for what it's associates were doing either.
Don't get it twisted, I'm a Bama fan, BUT I think they should have killed the football program! One because they were stupid and got caught (that's the game right?) and two to blow it back on the NCAA. The damage would have been worse......i.e. loss of football dollars....but exposing the problems would have been better. As it is, people like you and others get to rightfully chastise us. That is until you anger the wrong person/whistleblower at your favorite university. As for your bravado, I would like to offer you a friendly wager....... a case of your favorite beverage for you vs. a playstation game for me(my son)that Florida wins. I'm not a rabid fan, but I'd rather see the SEC win LOL!
I don't bet on games.
But everything I have indicates Ohio State will win by at least 10 points.
It isn't a matter of the SEC vs. the Big Ten or whatever and it isn't a case of whatever the hell "Southern Speed" is, as the big programs all have people who can run.
It's going to come down to Quarterback play and until he loses a big game, Troy Smith is the active KING of the category.
And Take this to the bank, ESPN attempted to take Ohio State down in 2004. The NCAA was all over the program, yet they could ONLY find things connected to Maurice Clarett and the corrupt basketball coach who was immediately fired. Sorry to burst your bubble, but Ohio State is one of the cleaner programs now than it was just 5 or 6 years ago due to it.
No guts eh? My son needs a new ps2 game. I would send you a case of Sun-Drop....you yankees haven't proven worthy to have it above the Mason-Dixon line yet......
I would not be surprised by a 10 point OH victory. I do think that Michigan might be better than Florida, but "they had their chance". We shall see.
Lastly, actually, I don't really care who wins. I do care that your impression of Alabama is based on football and what you read in the media. Your understanding of "us" is incomplete unless you look further. I am a football fan, but the last game I attended was an Auburn game in 1989. The original posted article is largely correct according to my understanding too. Just because our football teams are have a good run (or not) doesn't make you or I any smarter. A little louder, but not smarter.....
IMO, UAB should have its own BOTs and become the University of Birmingham. They have a top tier medical school. Why not a top tier football program as well?
Whooops!!! you were right about 1 thing......quarterback play determined the game. That and better coaching.......Florida was better prepared AND tested. The SEC vs other conference record is mixed so I can't pine too much. All that said I still think we need a playoff of some sort, the NCAA is ridiculous and not really looking out for the game or the student athletes when $CASH$ is on the line.
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