Why now?

[couch 'em]

We can speculate on the real reasons Tubbs was let go.... but the real question is "why now?" We won't have a coach by the start of the signing period.... we couldn't keep Tubbs until Orsini arrives and recruiting is completed? There is no worse time to dump a coach than now.

People seem to be hinting that maybe Copeland is firing him so he takes the heat from dallas blacks and not orsini. Then Orsini can bring in a new coach (black, maybe dallas connections) appologize, etc. Then he has both dallas recruiting and the coach he wants.

[gostangs]

so we should let him sign some kids and then fire him the week after that ....what a great thing to do to those kids - great idea.

[Charleston Pony]

the timing certainly suggests Copeland was allowed to do the "dirty work" on his way out so Orsini can now come in and bring one of his guys.

Any of you who work in the business world are well aware this is the way things work.

[friarwolf]

Guys, this signing period is way overrated. All the studs with the exception of Shady (show me the money!!!!!!) were signed, sealed, and delivered last fall. Not much out there to get excited about. We need the new coach in place to go to the spring and summer ncaa sanctioned 17U schoolboy tournaments like Kingwood, Gibbons, Peach, Spiece, and Vegas and start recruiting for the fall signing period.

[Ponymon]

friarwolf, your dreaming if you think we will have this problem solved before the next year rolls around. Even if we get a coach quickly there is NO way he can recruit a decent player while the "Sword of Damacleas" is hanging over this program! WHAT A MESS! Having been through this with the NCAA at least 5 times since I first attended SMU in the fall of 1972, I can tell you that it will drag on and on and on with no finality for at least 1 to 2 YEARS. The NCAA has a real "[deleted]" for private schools and SMU in particular. Its much easier to take on small private schools with their smaller fan bases than big state universities with legislatures that can really make life uneasy for the NCAA. Thanx Max

[Ponymon]

Besides we probably won't have any scholarships to give for next year after we penalize ourselves. Then we won't have to worry about the following year after the NCAA takes those scholarships away. Like I said it looks like Matt will have the team to himself plus some walkons by the time that it is all said and done

[Stallion]

the NCAA won't do jack to SMU because it showed institutional (over) control. I'm waiting for more information to decide if the firing was justified but as far as the NCAA I keep telling you people that this is a new day and as long as a school promptly and thoroughly conducts an investigation and imposes appropriate sanctions on itself the NCAA ain't going to do much more than make minor adjustments. I'm really kind annoyed at SMU for not being more forthcoming on the violations but also a little concerned to see that old SMU fan pattern of self-denial that there may well have been violations that justified his dismissal. I do agree the perception is that the known facts don't justify the firing which is a simply awful P.R. Nightmare that will dog this school for decades. Those that don't understand how devastating this could be to SMU recruiting don't know much about recruiting.

[Danny Noonan]

I think answer to why now, instead of waiting until the summer should be obvious. There are still a lot of candidates out there, many who will be gone by the summer.

As to why this year, instead of next. That's a good question.

[SMU Football Blog]

I think "Why now?" is a fair question if you want to talk about waiting until next year to make a decision. But waiting until the summer, IMO, is a bad idea. If you are going to do it this year, you do it ASAP when the largest pool of candidates is available. I am not going to second guess not waiting until signing period has started or ended or until the NCAA report came out.

If SMU made the decision (whoever that was), it was time to execute it.

[J.T.supporta]

Copeland wanted to do something big before he left.

He was the one that hired Tubbs in the first place so he felt that it was in his best interest to fire him as well

Copeland is letting the new AD get a fresh start for poor athletics

[friarwolf]

friarwolf, your dreaming if you think we will have this problem solved before the next year rolls around. Even if we get a coach quickly there is NO way he can recruit a decent player while the "Sword of Damacleas" is hanging over this program! WHAT A MESS! Having been through this with the NCAA at least 5 times since I first attended SMU in the fall of 1972, I can tell you that it will drag on and on and on with no finality for at least 1 to 2 YEARS. The NCAA has a real "[deleted]" for private schools and SMU in particular. Its much easier to take on small private schools with their smaller fan bases than big state universities with legislatures that can really make life uneasy for the NCAA. Thanx Max

You miss my point which is that this signing period coming up next week has very few prospects. It's not something we need to get really upset over. If we can get a coach in here to start working the AAU tournaments this summer, that's the more important thing.

[Buddha]

Copeland wanted to do something big before he left.

He was the one that hired Tubbs in the first place so he felt that it was in his best interest to fire him as well ....

Maybe I'm mis-reading your point, but on face value, that sounds ridiculous. Why would this move be in Copeland's "best interest"? I've never asked him, so of course I don't know what he's really thinking, but I would bet that he would have preferred to go out quietly, working on getting healthy and perhaps working on his golf game. This could not have been enjoyable for Copeland in any way.