ECU AD no Copeland

[BRStang]

Apparently, ECU found an AD who is taking charge and understands the definition of "COMMITMENT." Maybe SMU should hire Holland...

http://eastcarolina.rivals.com/showmsg.asp?fid=1324&tid=60029122&sid=&style=2

[DiamondM]

If firing coaches is what makes a great AD, then I think Copeland has done that at least 4 times himself.

[ponyte]

I have a healthy respect for Copeland and Turner. Don't care whose idea it was but the Blvd has been great. And both Copeland and Turner walk the Blvd. So any body can walk up to them and give them an ear full. And both know the situation (poor sports performances in key sports) so both know that there will be plenty of less than admirable comments headed their way. Knowing that they will be Christians in the Coliseum has earned my respect. Also, I have not witness an AD so accessible at SMU. Copeland is visible and will stop and talk and listen which is unlike previous ADs where I never could get in touch with them. Copeland will stop, listen and discuss issues with me. And given the tools he had to work with when he got here, I believe he has done yeoman’s work to improve the situation. Less recruiting restrictions and development of majors attractive to athletes. And he did schedule us a large number of old SWC foes (sentimental I know). And getting us to CUSA is a miracle considering how sorry our program has been for years. And thus far, CUSA has been far better than the WAC.

I understand many folks frustration with Copeland. And I understand the desire to remove him. Until the University makes a commitment to win (and I think the University is finally coming around to that attitude) then blaming coaches, ADs or anyone else is not productive and will not improve the situation.

My two cents worth. I stand ready for the fierce differences in opinions.

[mrydel]

Ponyte, I agree with your assessment. I have spoken to Copeland a couple of times on the Blvd prior to the games. I have to admit I do not know what I could or would do in his situation so I have to defer to his views until the Board or Turner feel otherwise. I still do regret the loss of the track team. Do not know how much input Copeland had on that but that was devastating to me with the past successes we had there.

[huntnfish]

Copeland is a waste of time. He has no personality, no enthusiasm, and has no clue how to build a program- we are worse now than when he fired Tom Rossley in 1996 (his first firing, but not last) and our basketball program has still none nothing. It is not like he worked hard to raise alot of money for the Stadium- one man donated the majority of it- Ford. Copeland needs to go back to Virginia and retire, he seems to tired to do the job.

Plus, let me know where I can get a job making 500k with no accountablilty on results and can fire and blame others- sign me up!

[BRStang]

I can’t believe you some (1 or 2) of you can actually stand up for Copeland. My gosh, what a difference one win makes. And no, firing people is apparently not what makes Holland a welcomed change at ECU. His NO-BS, take-charge attitude is what I got the feeling these pirate fans respect. His sole motivation appears to be WINNING AT ATHLETICS and he doesn’t care what it takes to get there.

The buck stops with Copeland vis-à-vis the success of SMU athletics. He’s the captain of the ship. Copeland has had 10 years to turn our athletics around and has FAILED miserably. He’s dead weight and has to go. He’s put little effort into the mediocre coaching hires he’s made, failed to define a successful plan for realizing success in fb or bb, and actually killed off or stymied successful athletic programs. When I was in school, SMU soccer was on the cusp of being one of the preeminent teams in the country—we were consistently in the top 5. Even that program has stagnated and maybe even regressed.

Ten years later we’re still at the bottom of the heap in fb and bb, we might as well be located in Abilene as far as the Dallas media and metroplex population are concerned, we are still considered a joke by the NCAA football world, there is no passion or energy coming out of the athletic department, we still are being hamstrung by strict(er) recruiting standards, and the list of failures and blunders goes on and on…including that stupid, tacky, pedestrian logo he came up with! Look, everything starts with this man, and he just hasn’t gotten it done like some other even less attractive universities have done.

I dare anyone to say he’s been part of the solution. And in his position, if he’s not part of the solution, he’s part of the problem!

[mrydel]

How can you make a "one win makes a difference" argument when if I remember correctly you abandoned the team until they won last week and then came running back? I have been kind of noncommittal on Copeland but never on a quick to fire band wagon. Our problems are much more institutional than just one man, and I am not convinced we could do any better at this time. Not being privy to the insider stuff I just can not make the call that replacing Copeland would be the panacea for the problem.

Plus if Ponyte stands in front of me none of you can get to me to hurt me!!!!

[Nacho]

Who would fire Copeland? Wouldn't if have to be Turner? Why would he fire Copeland if it is true that Copeland is just doing what he is told to do by Turner? For Turner to fire Copeland he would in effect be saying, Yeah you did what I told you do do but I don't like the outcome so I'm firing you anyway.

[lugus830]

Who would fire Copeland? Wouldn't if have to be Turner? Why would he fire Copeland if it is true that Copeland is just doing what he is told to do by Turner? For Turner to fire Copeland he would in effect be saying, Yeah you did what I told you do do but I don't like the outcome so I'm firing you anyway.

Yeah, and that never happens!

[BRStang]

mrydel wrote:

How can you make a "one win makes a difference" argument when if I remember correctly you abandoned the team until they won last week and then came running back?

Whoa, there. No disrespect, but...who did what?

If you "remember correctly" I said that as much as I wanted to after the Marshall loss, I just couldn't stop caring about SMU. I have some sort of affliction...but I never LEFT and came running back. I am unable to leave.

With regard to the win against UAB, I have not changed my opinions about Copeland or Bennett. Bennett could still win my approval for another year if he manages to get the team prepared and energized for the remaining games (like he did with UAB) and refrains from any brain-farts on the field. But after carefully considering the evidence that has truly stared us in the face over the past 8 years or so, I can't find any reason not to ship Copeland back to wherever he came from.

[mrydel]

mrydel wrote:

How can you make a "one win makes a difference" argument when if I remember correctly you abandoned the team until they won last week and then came running back?

Whoa, there. No disrespect, but...who did what?

If you "remember correctly" I said that as much as I wanted to after the Marshall loss, I just couldn't stop caring about SMU. I have some sort of affliction...but I never LEFT and came running back. I am unable to leave.

With regard to the win against UAB, I have not changed my opinions about Copeland or Bennett. Bennett could still win my approval for another year if he manages to get the team prepared and energized for the remaining games (like he did with UAB) and refrains from any brain-farts on the field. But after carefully considering the evidence that has truly stared us in the face over the past 8 years or so, I can't find any reason not to ship Copeland back to wherever he came from.

Hopefully as fans we can agree to disagree. I have no sense of need for Copeland but do find him to be a stand up person accessible to the public as Ponyte stated. I do not work in the offices with him or Turner and can not speak to what goes on there. I can in no way state that any one person could do a better job, but also could not say the opposite. Unless someone posting here is in the room when meetings are held and decisions are being made it is difficult to know who is right, wrong, in control, out of control, etc. I did not come up with my views after the past win. I have felt this way from the beginning just as I feel we need to keep Bennett for at least one more year. I predicted 4 years ago that this year would be the year of substantial progress. I am disppointed that it has not been that year so far. Even with several more wins, I feel we have lost ground in recruiting this year and that is a step backward. Hopefully with one year of "schedule lite" next year we can get back on track. If not, then I am open to any and all possibilites. I do, however see a need for some stability and consistancy in both the AD and Head Coach. If PB turns the program as I hope he will, I am happy. I will say that if PB does not succeed, it might be wise to do a complete house cleaning at that time.


ps: I got the feeling you had given up on the team by the title of your post after the Marshall game...."I'm Done". It gave me the impression you were "done".

[BRStang]

mrydel, I did not mean to imply in my first post that you somehow came up with your view on Copeland because of the UAB game. I apologize if it seemed that way, but I guess my point was that no one was defending Copeland after Tulane and Marshall (and rightfully so).

I know it's difficult to say with any kind of particularity exactly what Copeland is doing (or not doing) on a day-to-day basis that is "the wrong thing." However, 10 years is a long time...the honeymoon has long been over. Any accolades for golf or swimming competitiveness are smoke-screens for priority accomplishments. Regardless of whether its PC, Copeland was hired to turn fb and bb around and help us win again. Other than C-USA, he's failed.

[EastStang]

I looked for Copeland's resume/bio and couldn't find it on the SMU website. But I am fairly certain the Copeland and Holland were at UVA at the same time(Copeland AAD and Holland Basketball Coach). I think when Copeland left UVA, Holland took his place as AD. The point being that Copeland and Holland probably have a lot more in common that you might think.

[Nacho]

Let's say that Turner (and/or the board) is basically calling the shots--the overall big picture shots, not the micromangement shots. In that case Copeland does deserve a lot of credit/blame for the current state of SMU football and basketball woes. He fired Rossley to hire Cavan then Bennett. Bennett is hanging on by a fingernail, so the jury is still somewhat out. He could go 2-9 this year and would no doubt come under intense heat. Copeland also hired Dement who was ok but never got us to the NCAA tournament which is what it is all about. The jury is out on Tubbs. I have great respect for Tubbs and am pulling for him like mad. In essence Turner is pulling the big strings--but with restrictions that the academics are giving him grief about such as d-1 transfers and jucos--but Copeland is pulling the everyday strings such as hirings and firings and specific choices. He has not so far distinguished himself in this regard..

When everybody is to blame, no one is to blame. That's the sense I get from SMU. Is it Turner, the board or Copeland?

[EastStang]

Don't forget the millions of people in the DFW metroplex who DON'T come to SMU games or the SMU students (and Dallas area alums) who seem to have more important things to do than go to football games. Part of the reason we got left behind by UT, A&M, etc. is that we have few fans of our own. Miami has them, Duke has them, Vandy has them, Stanford has them, USC has them, Baylor even has them. We don't. Except for the 1940's-50's we never have had them. Sure Russ Potts got some fans to come to games, but even then (when we had a good product) we never got the long term love from the average Dallas area fan. If we had, we would have gotten more fans immediately after the DP. So, while you're assessing blame what did SMU do over time to alienate the average Dallas fan. What can we do to fix that?