ESPN Announcers actually get it

[SMUer]

He was done after Trader Vic's closed. It was an omen for June. Dallas would never embrace a Tiki.

[sbsmith]

Poor work ethic is the answer? I think the answer has to do with why he wanted to leave for Arizona state in the first place. You don't get to his level without being a hard worker. I don't buy that either

He wanted to leave for Arizona State because it's a better job than SMU. They already had all the stuff he whined about not having here.

[whitwiki]

Hey we have a volleyball team too

[ponyboy]

It's entertaining to speculate, i.e. make stuff up. I'd love to know the real story. Guess I never will.

[SMUer]

He'll write a book or we'll see it in his movie as soon as he settles into his better opportunity.

[SMU2007]

Some June supporters will exhaust themselves trying to defend the guy. Yes he was lazy. Yes he was completely checked out and had zero interest in smu. And yes the way he handled multiple events during his time here was incredibly sleezy.

There's just no disputing that no matter how blind you want to be.

[ponyboy]

So his checking out and losing interest in SMU is entirely his fault and has nothing to do with us then? We can just discount Cole Beasley, Taylor Reed, Eric Dickerson, the list goes on and on. They've all just been brainwashed by this genius of a lazy, sleazy, evil human being?

[sbsmith]

So his checking out and losing interest in SMU is entirely his fault and has nothing to do with us then? We can just discount Cole Beasley, Taylor Reed, Eric Dickerson, the list goes on and on. They've all just been brainwashed by this genius of a lazy, sleazy, evil human being?

It's entirely his fault that he kept a job he clearly didn't want anymore (for the money of course). And yes his players/friends have been brainwashed because they don't believe he's responsible for anything.

[ponyboy]

Okay, he's evil for not quitting and giving up all that money. Is there any lesson in this for SMU? Is there anything we can do to change what we're doing?or are we just a poor victim with no fault in any of this?

[Stallion]

the lesson as usual-don't listen to Ponyboy-historically more wrong about more issues than anyone ever on Ponyfans

[sbsmith]

Okay, he's evil for not quitting and giving up all that money. Is there any lesson in this for SMU? Is there anything we can do to change what we're doing?or are we just a poor victim with no fault in any of this?

The lesson for SMU is to jettison burned-out coaches before they have a chance to ruin their programs. We've changed everything that can reasonably be changed so the next step is to hire a quality coach that can win with our model.

[Fresno Mustang]

he likes to make programs kinda relevant and then move on, its sorta his thing. Hes said it in interviews that he saw himself as a "rebuilder", but his problem is he doesnt sustain it. He just puts bandaids on situations. He grabbed brennan out of prison and filled the hawaii roster with juco guys, / quick fixes etc. At smu he squeezed production out of bennet's recruits, using them as his programs backbone. Then he got lucky with a handful of hidden gems like margus and zach line. The 2011 season is a great example. He used a new mexico tansfer at qb (McDermot), lots of leftover talent from bennet along the lines, and nabbed some juco guys like richard crawford. Once that pipeline was starting to run out after that season he tried to move onto asu with smu's stock as high as it would get and do the same in tempe, but their boosters shut him out and then he got stuck here and it all unraveled.

[smusic 00]

If you read Warrior Football his guru image and brainwashing are all laid out. He tried to pull the same stuff in Dallas but only his friends and players bought in long term. The rest saw through his spiritualism after a few years.

[Mustangs35SMU]

Okay, he's evil for not quitting and giving up all that money. Is there any lesson in this for SMU? Is there anything we can do to change what we're doing?or are we just a poor victim with no fault in any of this?

You really will defend him until the end of time won't you?

[covok48]

he likes to make programs kinda relevant and then move on, its sorta his thing. Hes said it in interviews that he saw himself as a "rebuilder", but his problem is he doesnt sustain it. He just puts bandaids on situations. He grabbed brennan out of prison and filled the hawaii roster with juco guys, / quick fixes etc. At smu he squeezed production out of bennet's recruits, using them as his programs backbone. Then he got lucky with a handful of hidden gems like margus and zach line. The 2011 season is a great example. He used a new mexico tansfer at qb (McDermot), lots of leftover talent from bennet along the lines, and nabbed some juco guys like richard crawford. Once that pipeline was starting to run out after that season he tried to move onto asu with smu's stock as high as it would get and do the same in tempe, but their boosters shut him out and then he got stuck here and it all unraveled.

I think this is a great analysis. He can A) do well with a great foundation already in place and B) Band Aid that foundation until it whittles to dust. Beyond that point there is nothing there.

Lucky for him he was at the end of B in Hawaii he had an offer to jump ship before the real consequences started playing themselves out. This time where was no escape hatch so he effectively bailed in the most non-reputation damaging way he could.