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We've all heard this speech on, "Top 25 This, and Top 25 That". I figure the best way for him to buy some time is to give us something other than a bunch of slap assistants and a bully head coach. How long is Orsini going to make us wait for these standards?

Pony Up! The good ones demand big buck$.

well, for now the plan according to the AD is that we can "still accomplish our goals" and because of that he's "not giving up on the team or the coach."

I guess he had to say that to be PC. You certainly wouldn't want an AD to say something like "I've seen enough."

that goal is a joke and its very hollow to me. He should stop saying it until its not such a joke.

It isn't any more of a joke than the Houston AD talking about getting in the Big XII, but he says it all the time. Besides, I prefer it to the complete absence of expectations from the last idiot t hold the job.

What would you really have Orsini say right now? Firing Bennett today wouldn't do a damn bit of good and could actually make hiring the next guy harder. Nobody except me and Stallion recognize this but you have to give the nitwit the chance to save his job, regardless of how unlikely that possibility seems. Fire him because he stinks if you want but quit demanding he gets fired after every loss. You don't hire or fire a coach off of any one game; you do it over seasons. It isn't as if SMU saves any money by firing him now. This season may be virtually over, but until loss number seven, it isn't actually over. At the current rate, the season will be over soon enough.

SMU Football Blog wrote:It isn't any more of a joke than the Houston AD talking about getting in the Big XII, but he says it all the time. Besides, I prefer it to the complete absence of expectations from the last idiot t hold the job.

What would you really have Orsini say right now? Firing Bennett today wouldn't do a damn bit of good and could actually make hiring the next guy harder. Nobody except me and Stallion recognize this but you have to give the nitwit the chance to save his job, regardless of how unlikely that possibility seems. Fire him because he stinks if you want but quit demanding he gets fired after every loss. You don't hire or fire a coach off of any one game; you do it over seasons. It isn't as if SMU saves any money by firing him now. This season may be virtually over, but until loss number seven, it isn't actually over. At the current rate, the season will be over soon enough.

Couple of thingss.

First, I go back a couple of years in pointing out PB's inability to effective manage games. There have been many posts today about his coaching. Did you all not see this in 06 at the Houston game? How about 2005 when it took a season-ending injury to settle the QB mess? Did anyone enjoy watching Romo get us a lead and then his counterpart give it away? How about 2004? I dont care who it is - if you cant win a single game, you are not the quality of coach we should have hired.


That being said, while we may decide now (and finally) that it is indeed time for him to go, it would be extremely unwise not to keep him around ALL season. Say what you will about his coaching but we can still accomplish many things this year, particularly in the area of player development. Giving up on phil can be mutually exclusive from giving up on the red and blue. As much as I have said he needs to go, I stand by my team on the hilltop - even if it's hard to tell sometimes.

SMU Football Blog wrote:It isn't any more of a joke than the Houston AD talking about getting in the Big XII, but he says it all the time. Besides, I prefer it to the complete absence of expectations from the last idiot t hold the job.

What would you really have Orsini say right now? Firing Bennett today wouldn't do a damn bit of good and could actually make hiring the next guy harder. Nobody except me and Stallion recognize this but you have to give the nitwit the chance to save his job, regardless of how unlikely that possibility seems. Fire him because he stinks if you want but quit demanding he gets fired after every loss. You don't hire or fire a coach off of any one game; you do it over seasons. It isn't as if SMU saves any money by firing him now. This season may be virtually over, but until loss number seven, it isn't actually over. At the current rate, the season will be over soon enough.

My primary reason for wanting Bennett gone or "resigned" in season, as opposed to after the season, is the potential to salvage recruiting. I think UNC announced Butch Davis during the season last year didn't they (not certain of that, can someone help me out) and I am sure it has happened plenty of times I don't know of. Say Orsini is interested in Shula, or Bowden, or Joe Schmoe and they are available now, why not let Phil finish out the season but still be able to announce our new guy quickly, as in not in January?

I am all for being clear that he is on his way out and going for a new guy now. We just cant leave the team coach-less

firephil wrote:I am all for being clear that he is on his way out and going for a new guy now. We just cant leave the team coach-less

I think that is our ideal situation. There is obviously some negative aspects to this approach too though. Does anyone have input as to why this is something SMU should absolutely not consider? I'm interested to hear what people think.

The negative to firing him now is that in the off chance that we actually win the next few games and make a bowl game you have already fired the coach. Who would want to coach a team that has had one 1 possible 2 (if this one turned out to be) winning season since the dp and nonetheless fires its coach despite qualifying for a bowl game? I am not saying it is likely, but still possible. Don't hold your breath, I certainly won't!

SMU fired Hayden Fry early and he rallied to go 7-4 making SMU look like classless jerks. The team rallied around Fry and even did a walk-on in support of Fry in a memorable season ending victory over TCU in Ft Worth. This Classic SMU Moment has been brought to you by Stallion's ScapeGoats.com

If Phil gets canned tomorrow, they will not win a game the rest of the season.

Odds are that by Novermber 5 we will have lost our 7th game and be out of the bowl picture (S. Miss, Tulsa and Houston). That would be a good time to announce that Phil will finish out the season and be replaced by whoever. The overriding question is whether if by a miracle we got a bowl at 6-6, Phil would keep his job regardless of the bowl result.

mustangbill67 wrote:Odds are that by Novermber 5 we will have lost our 7th game and be out of the bowl picture (S. Miss, Tulsa and Houston). That would be a good time to announce that Phil will finish out the season and be replaced by whoever. The overriding question is whether if by a miracle we got a bowl at 6-6, Phil would keep his job regardless of the bowl result.

no

Stallion said "SMU fired Hayden Fry early and he rallied to go 7-4 making SMU look like classless jerks. The team rallied around Fry and even did a walk-on in support of Fry in a memorable season ending victory over TCU in Ft Worth. This Classic SMU Moment has been brought to you by Stallion's ScapeGoats.com"

Sounds like we should try this