Heard Eric Ainge (former Vol QB) talking about the chaos in Knoxville, and he pinned almost all of the blame on the Haslam family. The family is a piece of work. Jimmy owns the Browns, his brother, Bill, is the governor of TN, and their father James Haslam is the #1 donor to the UT athletic department (the TN practice field is named Haslam field). Could make an argument that the Browns are better run organization than the UT football program, which the Haslams have lorded over for years. BTW, to further demonstrate the incestuous nature of TN football/politics/life Jimmy Haslam's roommate in college at TN was Bob Corker TN Senator.
Really sounded like an impossible situation for Currie, who was among the most respected ADs in the nation based upon his time at Kansas State.
Good question. The only thing I can come up with is rather cynical:
Boosters, big donors, perhaps Board members in general may have some bad character flaws including any of these:
- egomaniacs
- assholes
- power trips
- lack diversity except for token/tokens
- alcoholism or similar
- elitism
- womanizing, or other
- lack boundaries
- presumptuous
- bullying, demanding, unrealistic
- spoiled, spend tens of thousands when they visit 4-5 times per year lavishly
- micro management, and lack trust in minions like Currie
- actually insecure and seek approval and pats on the back (kiss up to)
Presidents can be powerless vs. the above. They try but they make very little money compared to these real winners.
So I assume Currie was just trying to do his job and hit the buzzsaw or combination of the above by clueless person or persons whom do not fully understand how an AD needs to work in 2017 or trust him to do his job.
Just speculation on my part...
Don't get the love affair with Taggart for FSU. I get he knows Florida, but they should be able to do better. Waaaay better.
I've heard the administration is really pushing the hiring of a minority coach, which puts it at Taggert, Sumlin, or Strong i'd think.
Just because someone got rich doing one thing doesn't make them an expert on something else. This is particularly true in sports, education, and politics in which everybody thinks they're a damn expert.
I kinda see where you're coming from in terms of experience, but who would be waaaay better than a 41 year old P5 coach? Who could they get? FSU's only other modern era head coach hire was an SEC OC who came to FSU as an OC to be coach in waiting.
How many ACC teams have hired a working P5 head coach? I can't think of any right off hand, at least not in the last few hires. Richt had been fired.
Pretty bold to say FSU can do waaay better than Oregon's head coach.
FSU wants the best coach period, not just the best white coach.
Your mistake was ever relying on a grown man who goes by Jimbo.
Pretty sure they could hire Schiano or Leach. Schiano probably not a good idea for Florida though.
Would they be waaay better than Taggart?
Seeing that Currie may be headed to Wazzu. So...can't bring Leach to you, you go to Leach?
Weird situation.
Junction Boys 2: Jimbo leads A&M out of the wilderness
Not likely. Its gonna be way harder to get the athletes to College Station vs Tallahassee. It's also gonna be way harder to win there as you get to deal with Bama, LSU, Auburn, & Miss St for starters on a yearly basis & deal with recruiting against Tom Herman and Gary Patterson just in state with Lincoln Riley right across the border.
This will take a herculean effort and I am not sure Jimbo can pull it off. I think he would have stood a much better chance if he had taken the LSU job a year ago.
Bittersweet and glad its over but, that trip to Pasadena was one of the best moments from a sports standpoint in my life. Looking forward to the new coach as I know he will do well.