Junior wrote:Well, I know this for sure. He sure as hell couldn't do any worse.
That's the goal? Not doing any worse?
smu2000 wrote:I'm shocked nobody has brought up the fact that Bowden has been out of coaching for TEN years. That is a really long time and a lot has changed in that many years (not to mention his affair with a trustee's daughter).
Granted he couldn't do much worse but I think he's the wrong choice. 1) With so much time out of coaching, he could be a COMPLETE flop who we'd have too much invested in to get rid of quickly, and 2) even if he does a really good job, he won't stick around.
A guy like Francione has been in the big spotlight and didn't like it. He's not itchin' to get back in the big time and built a little program across town. Then, there's always Norm Chow. That would be a great hire.
That has been brought up. Not only has he been out of coaching for 10 years (or is it nine? Whatever.), but it has been reported that Georgia Tech is the first school to even grant him a cursory interview! There are other ADs out there looking to make a splash, or land a "name" coach, so there has to be more to the anti-Bowden sentiment than the fact that he hooked up with a booster's daughter.
Auburn was on probation, but had tons of talent. He did a fine job that year, to be sure, but it's not like he was coaching with his hands tied behind his back. Maybe that would be an apt description of the way he had to run his program overall, but as for the pure coaching side of things, he had a lot of bullets in that gun.
LakeHighlands .... wasn't it a fourth-round pick the Pats spent on Moss?
(The hiring equivalent in this case would be if SMU could hire Bowden - or any other coach - for far below market value. Doesn't sound like Steve-O is trying to land a coach at a fraction of the going market rate.)