If you’re reading this column you probably agree with me and most educated college football fans that the S.E.C. is the best conference in college football. With four coaches who have National Championships and one who shamefully did not get a shot though his 2004 Auburn team was unbeaten, this league is turning into a dog eat dog atmosphere. And no, there is no Mike Vick joke coming. Although, Mike Vick’s absurd behavior and the consequences brought forth from those wicked decisions have helped change the conference landscape for the better yet again. The S.E.C. has traded Ed Orgeron for Bobby Petrino. I think Coach O would agree that the conference has improved with that swap.
Bobby Petrino jumps ship again and makes more promises:
Just before going on the air Tuesday evening we heard about Bobby Petrino leaving the Atlanta Falcons to become the Arkansas head coach. I chuckled. It’s a home run hire by Arkansas, but just earlier in the day, checking the story, I kept hearing that Petrino would not go to Fayetteville. Yet there he was about 24 hours removed from coaching in the National Football League on Monday night no less standing up in a press conference calling the Hogs.
Look, I am from the south. Therefore I understand, celebrate and revel in the quirky nature of southern football programs and their history and nuances. We have war eagles for a team called the tigers, elephants for a team called the Tide and a commodore for landlocked Vanderbilt. I love that Arkansas fan has the right to call the hogs wherever they are and whenever they want; at a football game, on the street, even at weddings which I know happens. But at a press conference? Please think about the big picture. Can we get a time and place check here?
This press conference was being broadcast nationally on ESPN as a part of its Tuesday evening edition of Sports Center. You want to know why national guy refrains from giving this football league the proper credit? Consider the hilarity that was the Bobby Petrino to Arkansas press conference.
If you were not fortunate enough to see that fiasco it is what you imagine. A coach who annually flirts with other programs, schools or leagues standing up talking about the desire he has to bring his new school a National Championship. Perhaps he will. However, color me skeptical. This is the same coach that in an effort to prove loyalty to Louisville signed a 10-year contract in 2006, only to leave and sign a 24 million dollar deal to coach the Atlanta Falcons. And then leave that job before the season was complete 24-hours after coaching his team to a Monday night football loss. Now he goes to Arkansas where he will certainly jump at the next enticing opportunity. How can this guy promise any recruit that he will be there to coach even their sophomore season? Maybe I’m jaded.
In a world where coaches say cryptic things like, “I guess I have to say it. I’m not going to be the Alabama coach,†fans should be given the freedom not to believe what they say. Arkansas fan is excited to have an innovative offensive mind who promises to be the aggressor and they should be. However, they should also be leery. Louisville fan was excited about the same guy less than a year and a half ago. Falcons fans were excited about their new coach before the 2007 season. And now Arkansas fan is where those fans were. The question, will Bobby Petrino stick around long enough to see big time success at Arkansas? Pardon me for doubting that at this time. But one thing is assured, Bobby Petrino will complete his first season with Arkansas and then look for something better. History dictates that thought.
Bobby Johnson chooses Vanderbilt over Duke:
This decision may not resonate on your college football radar. However, Bobby Johnson is a first class guy trying to do the unthinkable. Build up a football program at a school where athletics is historically viewed as something that must be tolerated as opposed to being celebrated. And, do this in the best division of the best conference. Vanderbilt has not been bowl eligible since 1982, but Johnson has gotten close winning five games two out of the last three years. Vanderbilt has an interim chancellor and there is certainly no guarantee that the new vandy head will embrace athletics. Duke was reportedly set to offer Johnson more than twice what he was making. And you could certainly make the argument that it would be much less daunting a task to build in the ACC as opposed to the SEC East. But, Johnson chose Vanderbilt. Good for him.
Ugly Flirtation:
Note to Michigan and Les Myles, can we all get on with our lives? I haven’t seen this kind of awkward flirting since sixth grade recess at Stokes Middle School. Everyday we get a story from the Detroit Free Press suggesting the Myles to Michigan story is not dead. We also get a seemingly daily release from Myles saying how happy he is at LSU. Again, excuse me for not buying this one, until Michigan has a new coach on the sidelines in week one of 2008. I already used the Nick Saban model to illustrate my skepticism earlier, so how about this one? What about Dana Altman taking the Arkansas job last year, sheepishly calling the hogs from the press conference podium (now obviously a painstaking must to become a Razorback coach) only to leave and go back to the anonymity of Creighton. Les Myles can tell me how much he loves LSU everyday, but I will not buy that he is staying until some guy promising to take delight in beating the Ohio State University struts out onto the field at the Big House on August 30th, 2008. Oh wait, Myles already alluded to that thought about the Bukeyes.
-Please catch Prime Time Sports with Duncan Stewart and Brent Dougherty weekday evenings from 5 until 8 on News Radio 1510 WLAC in Nashville. At night our signal stretches into 28 states, so try to check us out. Or you can go to wlac.com keyword PTS. Feel free to e-mail me directly at brentd@wlac.com.
Thanks for reading. –Brent.
1 response to “Dougherty’s Random Thoughts”
Brent, your comments about the Arkansas coaching change/situation seem a little bias in that an obviously very good college coach found himself out of his element in pro ball and on a sinking ship as well. While I agree that women and children get in the life boats first next should definitely be coaches. Did Petrino make a bad move going to Atlanta – yes. Did Michael Vick lose his Alpo endorsement – I think so.
What I’m trying to say is divorces are always messy. Petrino’s and Atlanta’s falls in that catagory. Petrino took a $2 million cut in pay. Atlanta gets to look for a better fit at coach. No winners but maybe no losers here either.
Don’t judge this situation to quickly. If Tennessee loses Fulmer I would expect you all to do what is best for Tenn. and let the chips fall where they may – if you don’t then you can feel like they’ve taken the high road while Alabama, Florida and five or six other SEC schools are running the score up on you. It will be your call (Tennessee’s) but I’d rather feel a little dirty and watch Urban Meyer and Spurier squirm.
Ya’ll have a nice day now – ya hear!