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I just found out about an hour ago on my blackberry about PJ to GT. I actually walked out of the CLE seminar I was in and drove home from New Orleans because of the nauseousness.

As I mentioned yesterday, if I was Orsini, the second I got the sense that PJ wasn't coming, I would cut him loose and go get the guy in my back pocket. I also said that if we didn't have a coach within 24 hours after PJ accepted the GT job, SMU would once again look like the proverbial zit-faced, fat chick without a date to the prom--Same ol' SMU.

Here's hoping Orsini comes through and prevents SMU (and us) from looking like perpetual Charlie Brown losers. By my estimate, he's got about 20 hours or so left.

agree. offering Johnson and losing out on him is no crime. even admirable. the problem is the way this has happened. Blog says it well on his Blog.

Appreciate the kind words

BRStang wrote:I just found out about an hour ago on my blackberry about PJ to GT. I actually walked out of the CLE seminar I was in and drove home from New Orleans because of the nauseousness.

As I mentioned yesterday, if I was Orsini, the second I got the sense that PJ wasn't coming, I would cut him loose and go get the guy in my back pocket. I also said that if we didn't have a coach within 24 hours after PJ accepted the GT job, SMU would once again look like the proverbial zit-faced, fat chick without a date to the prom--Same ol' SMU.

Here's hoping Orsini comes through and prevents SMU (and us) from looking like perpetual Charlie Brown losers. By my estimate, he's got about 20 hours or so left.

I'm 100% positive Orsini is focused on getting the right hire and not how many hours he has left.

I admit when I am wrong. I originally thought it was a good move to fire PB as word had it, "Orsini's has his guy." Well, he thought he did and putting all the eggs in one basket has blown up. (to mix metaphors). You wait five weeks and kapow that is five weeks wasted on recruiting. Ugh!

Blog, I read your article. Good stuff. If we start bringing in guys to interview, then we know for certain that there was no plan b.

PJ was the one guy that Orsini and Turner agreed on. That's why they went so hard after him (IMHO). My take is that Turner will want to go the PC or "safe" route while Orsini wants to take a risk. Thus they will have to interview several candidates to see if the two can agree. This is where the money guys need to call Turner and say get out of the way and let Steve do his job.

He who hesitates is LOST!

BRStang wrote:I just found out about an hour ago on my blackberry about PJ to GT. I actually walked out of the CLE seminar I was in and drove home from New Orleans because of the nauseousness.

As I mentioned yesterday, if I was Orsini, the second I got the sense that PJ wasn't coming, I would cut him loose and go get the guy in my back pocket. I also said that if we didn't have a coach within 24 hours after PJ accepted the GT job, SMU would once again look like the proverbial zit-faced, fat chick without a date to the prom--Same ol' SMU.

Here's hoping Orsini comes through and prevents SMU (and us) from looking like perpetual Charlie Brown losers. By my estimate, he's got about 20 hours or so left.

But how man CLE hours did you report....?

Blog, I just read your blog and you have stated well what I am trying to say. (I promise I didn't read it before I posted my thoughts.)

One comment about your blog: Maybe Orsini thought he could get away with the search without any one finding out, because, unlike other schools, we have a lazy, do-nothing beat writer.

At any rate, I have never been able to just assume Orsini is the greatest prize of an AD in all the world. I think he has done some good things and he is trying. But I also think he is still learning and gaining experience. He doesn't have all the answers. He has definitely handled this thing wrongly, but if he had gotten PJ, all would have been forgotten. Now, he needs to produce immediately or he will lose a lot of that good will he has built up since he was hired. He will also make us out to be saps as well.

SMUMan02 wrote:

BRStang wrote:I just found out about an hour ago on my blackberry about PJ to GT. I actually walked out of the CLE seminar I was in and drove home from New Orleans because of the nauseousness.

As I mentioned yesterday, if I was Orsini, the second I got the sense that PJ wasn't coming, I would cut him loose and go get the guy in my back pocket. I also said that if we didn't have a coach within 24 hours after PJ accepted the GT job, SMU would once again look like the proverbial zit-faced, fat chick without a date to the prom--Same ol' SMU.

Here's hoping Orsini comes through and prevents SMU (and us) from looking like perpetual Charlie Brown losers. By my estimate, he's got about 20 hours or so left.

But how man CLE hours did you report....?

Half... I was honest. I was also the first person to put my card in the box.

Darth Mustang wrote:I admit when I am wrong. I originally thought it was a good move to fire PB as word had it, "Orsini's has his guy." Well, he thought he did and putting all the eggs in one basket has blown up. (to mix metaphors). You wait five weeks and kapow that is five weeks wasted on recruiting. Ugh!

Better to get the right guy late than to get the wrong guy early. One season of recruiting isn't worth a coach who isn't up to the task.

Darth Mustang wrote:I admit when I am wrong. I originally thought it was a good move to fire PB as word had it, "Orsini's has his guy." Well, he thought he did and putting all the eggs in one basket has blown up. (to mix metaphors). You wait five weeks and kapow that is five weeks wasted on recruiting. Ugh!

Blog, I read your article. Good stuff. If we start bringing in guys to interview, then we know for certain that there was no plan b.

PJ was the one guy that Orsini and Turner agreed on. That's why they went so hard after him (IMHO). My take is that Turner will want to go the PC or "safe" route while Orsini wants to take a risk. Thus they will have to interview several candidates to see if the two can agree. This is where the money guys need to call Turner and say get out of the way and let Steve do his job.

Tired of hearing:
1) Waited six weeks
2) Only had one guy
3) No plan B


- We fired Bennett early so we could raise funds and therefore know what we could spend (you might have heard we have $10+ million)

- A list was made w/ rankings and agreed upon (Orsini, Turner, Boosters). BTW, people on the list already had their pulse checked to see if they would have an interest.

- As this is a business move, you keep the list and plan close to the vest. You don't announce to your competition who you are going after.

- While people were contacted, real negotiations could not start until after the season.

- Plan A did not work, but thank god we have a well thought out plan and will proceed to Plan B (who was already contacted way before).

RELAX.

These guys know what they are doing and will get the program moving in the right direction.

SMU89 wrote:

Darth Mustang wrote:I admit when I am wrong. I originally thought it was a good move to fire PB as word had it, "Orsini's has his guy." Well, he thought he did and putting all the eggs in one basket has blown up. (to mix metaphors). You wait five weeks and kapow that is five weeks wasted on recruiting. Ugh!

Blog, I read your article. Good stuff. If we start bringing in guys to interview, then we know for certain that there was no plan b.

PJ was the one guy that Orsini and Turner agreed on. That's why they went so hard after him (IMHO). My take is that Turner will want to go the PC or "safe" route while Orsini wants to take a risk. Thus they will have to interview several candidates to see if the two can agree. This is where the money guys need to call Turner and say get out of the way and let Steve do his job.

- We fired Bennett early so we could raise funds and therefore know what we could spend (you might have heard we have $10+ million)


- While people were contacted, real negotiations could not start until after the season.

.

Waiting until the season ended is exactly why we're in this situation. Do you think for one second A$M waited until the aggies finished sawing Varsity's horns off to get a deal prepared for Sherman? Not hardly. They knew well before the end of the season what they were going to do and thats the way it should be done. How long did Baylor take to snag Briles? Not 5-6 weeks and we're offering more money.

I think the only person Orsini is deceiving is himself. He thinks he's actually going to find a worthwhile coach.

thefamousguy wrote:

SMU89 wrote:

Darth Mustang wrote:I admit when I am wrong. I originally thought it was a good move to fire PB as word had it, "Orsini's has his guy." Well, he thought he did and putting all the eggs in one basket has blown up. (to mix metaphors). You wait five weeks and kapow that is five weeks wasted on recruiting. Ugh!

Blog, I read your article. Good stuff. If we start bringing in guys to interview, then we know for certain that there was no plan b.

PJ was the one guy that Orsini and Turner agreed on. That's why they went so hard after him (IMHO). My take is that Turner will want to go the PC or "safe" route while Orsini wants to take a risk. Thus they will have to interview several candidates to see if the two can agree. This is where the money guys need to call Turner and say get out of the way and let Steve do his job.

- We fired Bennett early so we could raise funds and therefore know what we could spend (you might have heard we have $10+ million)


- While people were contacted, real negotiations could not start until after the season.

.

Waiting until the season ended is exactly why we're in this situation. Do you think for one second A$M waited until the aggies finished sawing Varsity's horns off to get a deal prepared for Sherman? Not hardly. They knew well before the end of the season what they were going to do and thats the way it should be done. How long did Baylor take to snag Briles? Not 5-6 weeks and we're offering more money.

We are in this situation b/c we went after a coach who is in demand.

But I see your point. Well thought out.

We should have hired Paul Johnson sometime during his last for games?

He might have announced right before the Army Navy game which would have given us great publicity, and we would have beaten GT, Duke, and would have kept both Paul and his agent from even thinking to wait to see if others may have an interest in him.

Click your heals and go back to fantasy land.

BRStang wrote:

SMUMan02 wrote:

BRStang wrote:I just found out about an hour ago on my blackberry about PJ to GT. I actually walked out of the CLE seminar I was in and drove home from New Orleans because of the nauseousness.

As I mentioned yesterday, if I was Orsini, the second I got the sense that PJ wasn't coming, I would cut him loose and go get the guy in my back pocket. I also said that if we didn't have a coach within 24 hours after PJ accepted the GT job, SMU would once again look like the proverbial zit-faced, fat chick without a date to the prom--Same ol' SMU.

Here's hoping Orsini comes through and prevents SMU (and us) from looking like perpetual Charlie Brown losers. By my estimate, he's got about 20 hours or so left.

But how man CLE hours did you report....?

Half... I was honest. I was also the first person to put my card in the box.

Good for you. I've been to those damn things and seen people on the last day reporting hours that I haven't see during the whole conference.