Since Orsini and his boys read this...

[Hoop Fan]

at this point, history has proven that my point correct. Granted, I have hindsight, but it is what it is. It didnt do any good whatsover for Smu to fire Bennett so early. We're still paying bennett. He wasnt going to grab a new job before next spring anyway. c'mon.

It shut people up about Phil's job status, gave the fans what they wanted, allowed Orsini to raise money and start finding a replacement for PB respectfully. You have absolutely no idea what Orsini has done to fill this job since Phil got fired, so your half-baked argument, quite frankly, sucks.

whatever he has done to fill it so far the bottom line is it hasn't worked so far for whatever reason. Would have been better to keep bennett until the end like so many schools do with their coaches no matter what. million and one examples. sorry you can't comprehend the point. And, speaking of half baked, it never made sense to make public ultimatums about your coach making a bowl or being fired. That half baked thinking no doubt has hurt recruiting since last year. Made him a lame duck before he was one.

[huskerpony]

The benefit to firing Bennet early was that we could publicly pursue a new coach. Most schools (Nebraska, A&M, etc.) had their search firms doing work behind the scenes during the season. Otherwise they couldn't have turned it around that fast. But we were able to get some interest generated early and get our name out there. Even though the search has been kept very secretive, several candidates have gone to the media on their own to express their interest.

This probably worked out HUGELY in our favor too because Barnett jumped in the mix publicly within the first couple of weeks. This raised the profile of the job tremendously. If you're starting point is Gary Barnett, we're looking at much higher caliber coaches than we might have even considered otherwise. It also probably caught the eye of many candidates who then thought, "well, GB thinks this is an interesting job, maybe....." That probably helped Steve-O build the warchest too because he can go to the boosters and say--We're getting Gary Barnett or better, fork over some dough! And if you want someone cleaner than him, fork over some more dough!

Besides, PB himself said before the season that if they didn't make a bowl game, none of them deserved to be here. Thus, as soon as a bowl game was unreachable, why wouldn't you fire him?

[Hoop Fan]

The benefit to firing Bennet early was that we could publicly pursue a new coach. Most schools (Nebraska, A&M, etc.) had their search firms doing work behind the scenes during the season. Otherwise they couldn't have turned it around that fast. But we were able to get some interest generated early and get our name out there. Even though the search has been kept very secretive, several candidates have gone to the media on their own to express their interest.

This probably worked out HUGELY in our favor too because Barnett jumped in the mix publicly within the first couple of weeks. This raised the profile of the job tremendously. If you're starting point is Gary Barnett, we're looking at much higher caliber coaches than we might have even considered otherwise. It also probably caught the eye of many candidates who then thought, "well, GB thinks this is an interesting job, maybe....." That probably helped Steve-O build the warchest too because he can go to the boosters and say--We're getting Gary Barnett or better, fork over some dough! And if you want someone cleaner than him, fork over some more dough!

Besides, PB himself said before the season that if they didn't make a bowl game, none of them deserved to be here. Thus, as soon as a bowl game was unreachable, why wouldn't you fire him?

how has it worked hugely in our favor? just don't think so. The coaching fraternity sees through hollow PR efforts. if thats what it took to raise the money we need to pay a legit salary i'd be surprised too. barnett making a comment? nah.

[SMU89]

should have just waited to fire Bennett until after the season. a nice long we will sit down to evaluation period. In the meantime, Bennett is at least recruiting. As good as Orsini is at keeping a secret in his search, what good did it do to fire Bennett early? could have raised the money and conducted these top secret interviews anyway. Its alot easier to keep a recruit than it is to steal him away from somebody else. This is one reason you dont see mid season firings very often at all.

Seems like Orsini's plan was to fire Bennett to have time to raise funds so he could go after PJ at the end of the season. In hind-sight, that didn't work; so, it is easy to say now that he could have waited.


In regards to recruiting:

Isn't this a quiet period for recruiting through the end of the year?

Does signing start Feb 6?

Also, I'm pretty sure they don't have to sign on Feb 6th -- do you know how long the signing period is for? Is it through or around April?

Seems like if we get a good / respected coach in first week of January there is plenty of time before Feb

1) the recruits we have been working will know Orsini wasn't full of it when he told them he was going to get someone good and SMU is serious about football. This will give him and the program credibility to those recruits.

2) a good / respected coach can get some recruits we were not working with to consider SMU.

[Stallion]

its not a quiet period until Monday and even then JUCO signing period starts December 19th.

[perunapower]

whatever he has done to fill it so far the bottom line is it hasn't worked so far for whatever reason. Would have been better to keep bennett until the end like so many schools do with their coaches no matter what. million and one examples. sorry you can't comprehend the point. And, speaking of half baked, it never made sense to make public ultimatums about your coach making a bowl or being fired. That half baked thinking no doubt has hurt recruiting since last year. Made him a lame duck before he was one.

I guess that's imaginary money that he raised immediately after Phil got fired. I guess he didn't start making contacts about the search immediately after Phil got fired. I guess he didn't organize a search committee immediately after Phil got fired. I guess we didn't enjoy the spotlight and publicity of us being the first one to fire our head coach. I guess we didn't take the media's attention off of Phil's future and back to actual football. I guess Orsini didn't show his standing on our team's direction by firing Phil once our goals were unattainable.

Just because we do not have a coach now does not mean that the steps taken from the day Phil got fired to the end of the season were not necessary to get to the position we are in now. You have absolutely no idea what stage we're at in the search right now.

The public ultimatum helped Orsini make an impression with the alumni base, the local media, and the fans on what direction he was taking the football program. I'd say it was needed given the lack of direction since the death penalty. New ADs want their guys in place. It was general knowledge that Phil would be fired if he did not reach Orsini's goals this year.

[SMU89]

its not a quiet period until Monday and even then JUCO signing period starts December 19th.

Stallion, thanks for the info.

The JUCO signing period starts Dec 19th.

Regular signing starts Feb 6.

Questions:
1) How long does the JUCO signing period go for -- into next year?
2) How many JUCOs are we actually recruiting?

[OC Mustang]

I think Steve O is trying to build up the fan base by dragging this thing out. Just look at all the interest it has drummed up!

Orsini is Machiavellian.

He has his man.

He's not letting anyone know it. The delay is purposeful.

He brings in his friend PJ for a cursory visit and throws a lot of $$$ around. PJ, a hot commodity in the coaching ranks isn't interested? There must be something wrong with the situation at ol' SMU.

The delay is causing people to look twice at this program--specifically, the Model. The delay in announcing a coach is causing discomfort. "Why the delay? There must be something wrong with the program?"

Those questions resonate with the big $$$ alumni and Turner. And they get people's attention.

If there is a problem that the top coaches in America see with us, then we need to correct it.

This gives Orsini and others in the athletic department the leverage they need to effectuate change in the Model that has not been successfully accomplished in 20 years.

If we hired a coach 48 hours after the season, no one would think twice about the situation here. Everything must be okay if a big-time coach would come here that quickly. No real reforms would take place.

But a big-time coach won't come here, yet. Only after guarantees of changes in the model will a legitimate head coach agree to come here.

Orsini has consistently talked about a timeline. His timeline is to create a critical mass where alumni, staff, and faculty recognize the need for significant change in the way SMU does business. Only at that point--when many within and outside of the university are clammoring for change--will the coach be announced.

This is another brilliant move by SO. Short term pain. Long term gain.

At the end of this process, we will have a big-time coach. We will have broken the attitudes of failure and apathy--and the model--that have occupied the minds of far too many and limited the opportunities for long-term success.

Nobody outside Hillary Clinton or [deleted] Cheney is that good, but I still hope you are correct. If what you say turns out to be more true than not, then Turner stepped into the trap when he piped up about limitations. Funny, he hasn't said dittily-squat since his comments...I betcha his AD gave him hell...or perhaps his big donors gave him hell...about his comments. I hope so. The guy needs an enema...

[SMU89]

should have just waited to fire Bennett until after the season. a nice long we will sit down to evaluation period. In the meantime, Bennett is at least recruiting. As good as Orsini is at keeping a secret in his search, what good did it do to fire Bennett early? could have raised the money and conducted these top secret interviews anyway. Its alot easier to keep a recruit than it is to steal him away from somebody else. This is one reason you dont see mid season firings very often at all.

Don't see the sell in:
An 18 - 52 coach just coming off an 1 -11 season saying "We are turning the program around. Trust me." This is the equivalent of saying Mangino would be a good spokesman for Weight Watchers.

Do see the sell in:
Orsini saying "We took care of business because we are going to turn this around. We have strong alumni support and have raised enough money to do this right. You will have an opportunity to talk with our new coach before you have to sign. Be patient and the quality of the coach we hire will demonstrate that we are committed, have a plan, and will bring the program back."

[The XtC]

[quote="perunapower"] You have absolutely no idea what Orsini has done to fill this job since Phil got fired, so your half-baked argument, quite frankly, sucks.[/quote]

What a coincidence, I dont have any idea, either. So, could you help a guy out and fill me in on all the details? I'd like to hear the entire story. Lots of details. Then perhaps I could get rid of this mental image of SMU's AD floundering in quicksand. That's all I need, a few details that are concrete and verifiable. That would be a good start.

[SMU89]

You have absolutely no idea what Orsini has done to fill this job since Phil got fired, so your half-baked argument, quite frankly, sucks.

What a coincidence, I dont have any idea, either. So, could you help a guy out and fill me in on all the details? I'd like to hear the entire story. Lots of details. Then perhaps I could get rid of this mental image of SMU's AD floundering in quicksand. That's all I need, a few details that are concrete and verifiable. That would be a good start.

Victory is reserved for those willing to pay its price.----- Sun Tzu

Patience grasshopper.

[couch 'em]

Victory is reserved for those willing to pay its price.----- Sun Tzu

That explains our success in the 80s.

[SMU89]

Victory is reserved for those willing to pay its price.----- Sun Tzu

That explains our success in the 80s.

And the success of many other programs back then and today.