Bush League
There's a lot of college football coaching news floating around, and high-profile job openings at schools like Michigan, Nebraska and Texas A&M are making headlines. But here in Colorado we're about to lose one of the greatest coaches ever to call this state home, and it bums me out.
Terry Frei wrote an excellent piece in the Post today, where he detailed the Sonny Lubick situation with more insight and dignity than you'll typically find at houses named George. I've had my share of gripes with Frei over the years, given that he's one of these old-media stalwarts that think blogs are the devil (and he covers hockey). But Terry hit on the very delicate conundrum faced by myself and other CSU fans and alumni when it comes to Coach Lubick.
I absolutely love that man, and if I had a kid who played football I would send him off to matriculate under the guidance of Coach Lubick. But let's be honest, CSU football blows ram balls right now. Sonny is 70 and no longer recruits even the fringe big-time players, the Cecil Sapps and Bradlee Van Pelts and Joey Porters, that he once did. This season was a downright disaster at 3-9. A logical, impartial observer might conclude, as Frei did, that it's time for some new blood under the headset.
I am neither impartial nor logical, and I say forcing Sonny Lubick out of this job is an unforgivable offense. One of the rules of life should be that if you name a field after a man he gets to work as long as he damn well pleases. I could really care less if he goes 1-11 every year, so long as that one win is against Screamin' Dan Hawkins. We'll happily go play intramurals, brother.
It would be a different story if CSU were actually a part of big-time college football, a member of a BCS conference. They're not, and the power structure that exists in this sport will probably never let them in. If my alma mater is to exist in this perpetual state of football purgatory, they should at least do so with the grace and humor of a man like Sonny Lubick, rather than the shitbag judgement displayed by oh, I don't know, some coaches. Or other coaches. Or other coaches. Or other coaches.
What's the alternative? Find some hotshot I-AA, FCS, FBS, D-2 or high school coach or coordinator to take the CSU job, make some strides and then bolt for the first available BCS opportunity? A la Screamin' Dan or Urban Meyer? Even if you can sustain mid-major success, as Boise and a couple other programs have, what's the payoff? A pity birth in a lower-tier BCS bowl if and only if you have a perfect record?
Fuck that. That's the bullshit arms race of college football I choose not to chase. I'd rather CSU go back to thorn-in-the-side status than play that game.
That being said, CSU ought to go hire Ed Orgeron, who just got canned by Ole Miss. That fucker is bat shit crazy.
5 comments:
I can't believe the administration let the media steer this story. Sonny is just kicking their asses in the press.
Which is just a reflection of what a milquetoast d-bag Penley is. Kowalcyzk (sp?) is in a bad spot--Penley sent out a memo criticizing him for the way this was being handled! The president of the university! Who more than likely had the inside scoop from hour one!--and he needed to do something...but yikes. CSU comes off looking terrible in this.
Penley wasn't even at the news conference. I can't believe that shit.
Oh, and my suggestion for new coach, not thought up by me and yet sure to inflame the latent hives on Ol' No. 7's backside:
Major Applewhite. Young, relatively hot as a commodity, can recruit Texas and is named "Major."
Dude, I love Major Applewhite. I especially love the fact that Mack Brown continually played an inferior Chris Simms over him and cost the Horns a half-dozen games over the years.
My issue with getting a young high-profile guy like that is if he succeeds he's gone. Someone will give him more cash and he'll bolt.
I fear that's the canoe CSU's climbed into. I can't see another coach having a Sonny-esque tenure there.
Didja read about Kowalcyzk's (sp?) dis of Dave Logan? And how Mullen's players say they'd commit to State en masse if he got hired? Oh, what a morass...
I would LOVE to see Dave Logan coach at CSU, for a few reasons. One is he's a good coach, although I doubt he'd be a big success at the college level. Two is he might finally abstain from calling Broncos games--it's time. Three is that he would go after his alma mater with a bloodthirsty vengeance--he's been very critical of how CU's athletic department has handled themselves recently. He would love to show them how it ought be done.
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