Is Fran even interested?

by **KnuckleStang** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 10:44 pm

For the "why didn't we just hire Fran 2 months ago" (which I would have been in favor of) crowd:

Do we have any credible information to suggest that he is interested in this job? I mean from a real source, not CrapBagRumermill.com. All I remember reading in the DMN is that we had spoken to/were interested in him. Not the other way around.

Maybe that's why he didn't hire Fran back in December. Thoughts?

by **BRStang** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 10:52 pm

KnuckleStang wrote:For the "why didn't we just hire Fran 2 months ago" (which I would have been in favor of) crowd:

Do we have any credible information to suggest that he is interested in this job? I mean from a real source, not CrapBagRumermill.com. All I remember reading in the DMN is that we had spoken to/were interested in him. Not the other way around.

Maybe that's why he didn't hire Fran back in December. Thoughts?

CSTV said it was narrowed down to Fran and Coker. ESPN reported that Fran was "in the mix." Several other national sites have reported SMU interest in Fran.

I would think most of the "leaks" on this would be by Fran people and not SMU people. Just MHO.

by **Stallion** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 10:53 pm

I think the real question is whether Turner and Orsini are so dense as to disqualify him. From what I have seen in this coaching search I have ZERO confidence that either one of these guys know what the hell they are doing.

by **Hoss** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 11:02 pm

That, of course, discounts the possibility that they know something about Fran (or every other candidate) that we don't. God forbid they have a search firm and folks doing the legwork to unearth reasons why candidates should be considered or eliminated from consideration without calling the media to explain.

by **Billy Joe** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 11:04 pm

SMU has a search firm? Could have fooled me.

by **RGV Pony** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 11:04 pm

Stallion wrote:I think the real question is whether Turner and Orsini are so dense as to disqualify him. From what I have seen in this coaching search I have ZERO confidence that either one of these guys know what the hell they are doing.

couldn't agree with you more.

And that really sucks.

The bigger question is, what do the folks who gave Orsini 10M make of all this? If that was any of my $$, I'd be on the phone.

by **KnuckleStang** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 11:34 pm

Stallion wrote:I think the real question is whether Turner and Orsini are so dense as to disqualify him.

I'm not convinced that is the case. We apparently were not afraid to make the effort to contact and speak with him. That does not sound like disqualifying him. The more likely scenario is that he disqualified us.

My guess is that Orsini could write a book of anecdotes on all the big name coaches we have been "disqualified" by over the last couple months, because he's aiming high. His biggest mistake in this process has been his assumption (or hope) that if we increase our bankroll 4-fold, big name coaches will come running. Unfortunate fact is, nobody wants to be told "Come to SMU. This will be your last job. No D-1 school will ever hire you again. But you'll have a big pile of money to retire on."

by **Stallion** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 11:40 pm

well that's a good point that Money has been WAY WAY WAY overrated by most SMU fans. Basically we are hoping that a Coach will take a bribe by accepting an extreme over market offer. I have tried for years to emphasize that Step 1 in building a program is to set up a competitive Model. Step 2 is finding a Head Coach to sell your program. I believe-no I know-that the problem with this search and ALL previous SMU searches is that SMU refuses to take Step 1 before attempting Step 2.

by **SMU Football Blog** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 11:42 pm

I have been told by an awful lot of people from an awful lot of places that Fran wants the job.

Bowden was interested, too; now Bowden is not.

But, hey, any idiot can have a blog.

by **OC Mustang** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 12:05 am

Stallion wrote:well that's a good point that Money has been WAY WAY WAY overrated by most SMU fans. Basically we are hoping that a Coach will take a bribe by accepting an extreme over market offer. I have tried for years to emphasize that Step 1 in building a program is to set up a competitive Model. Step 2 is finding a Head Coach to sell your program. I believe-no I know-that the problem with this search and ALL previous SMU searches is that SMU refuses to take Step 1 before attempting Step 2.

I'll distill the argument even more: what good is finite money (unless it is so above parity as to be ridiculous) when there is at least an even chance (and probably better than even chance) that failure means a career-killer, or at least a considerable setback?

by **bgb96** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 8:43 am

In support of Blog's statement, I have also been informed by people as close to Fran's situation as you can get that he is "begging" for the job. Take it for what it's worth, but that's not from a message board or rumormill site, that's from a VERY legitimate source.

I think Steve O knows that he'll be available if it comes to that. He knows that Fran is probably just as good a hire as Johnson or Jones and he has the luxury of keeping him as a backup.

Finally, I'm just as frustrated as the next desperate Pony fan, but we all really need to step back and realize how nice it is to finally be in this situation. We are about to pay upwards of $2 million a year for a Top Tier coach. We have an AD that is aggressive and realizes that this is likely the last chance for SMU. He's the same guy that hired O'Leary at Central Florida which came from NOTHING to win 10 games this year. We are the school that has had Rossley, Cavan, and Bennett as head coaches and now we're talking about June Jones, Dennis Franchione, and Mike Martz.

We need to realize who we are while getting excited about what we could be. When the season actually starts next year I think we'll all look back and realize that waiting a couple of months was nothing in the scheme of things. Thanks Steve O!

by **Bergermeister** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 9:38 am

SMU Football Blog wrote:I have been told by an awful lot of people from an awful lot of places that Fran wants the job.

I've been told the same thing by awful people in awful places.

by **stobor** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 10:02 am

bgb96 wrote:
We have an AD that is aggressive and realizes that this is likely the last chance for SMU.

Do we?

by **jtstang** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 10:08 am

If we get left at the alter by Jones, and Fran decides the SMU athletic department is a circus he doesn't want to be part of, we are f@#*ed, but good. It'll be SMU doing the "begging" at that point.

by **friarwolf** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 10:36 am

When Jones turns us down, if I am Franchione, I tell Orsini the salary number starts with a 2 as the leading digit...........

Is Fran even interested?

Is Fran even interested?

Re: Is Fran even interested?

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