robert.cessna@theeagle.com
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So how do fans feel when they read about their former coaches?
Aggies had to have mixed feelings this week reading about three former bosses.
•Former men’s basketball coach Billy Gillispie sued Kentucky, which in turn countersued.
•Former football coach Dennis Franchione has been hired by BusterSports.com as the Web site’s lead Big 12 analyst.
•Former baseball coach Mark Johnson is making his third straight NCAA Tournament appearance with Sam Houston State.
FRANCHIONE
He joins former coaches Jim Donnan, Terry Donahue, Tommy Bowden, Glenn Mason and Mike Gottfried who will according to the site “chat with Big 12 coaches and players, banter about hot topics with college football journalists and interact directly with BusterSports.com followers.”
So, does this mean Franchione will talk about why he couldn’t win at A&M? What he really thinks of A&M AD Bill Byrne? Why didn’t he allow Stephen McGee to throw more and make better use of Martellus Bennett?
And those are just for starters.
Or will questions like that be ignored? And that’s just from the A&M fans. What do you think the Alabama fans will be asking?
“I’m looking forward to diving deep into the Big 12 and sharing my experience and opinion with fans of the conference,” Franchione says on the site.
The Web site might crash if Franchione opts to answer Aggies and Crimson Tide fans. His bio on the Web site says that he most recently served as a color commentator for ESPN Radio. So is that gig done?
I don’t have any problem with former coaches coming over to the dark side. I can think of several who are outstanding — Bob Davie, Lee Corso, Jack Ramsey, Lou Holtz and Jeff Van Gundy to name a few. They are good, because they do answer hard questions and aren’t afraid to take a stand, even if it means ripping a former peer.
It will be interesting to see if Franchione can cut it. My guess is most are expecting him to option around tough questions, which has been the case thus far.
GILLISPIE
I still haven’t figured out why Gillispie didn’t sign a contract, since Kentucky was his dream job.
The lawyers will figure this out, but considering the freshman class that John Calipari is bringing in, the Wildcats probably could write Gillispie a check for $6 million and still make millions.
Gillispie claims Kentucky never intended to sign him to a long-term contract. The school, though, claims Gillispie turned down at least six versions of a full employment contract, quibbling over the language involving what actions would constitute dismissal without pay.
Remember all the trouble A&M had trying to get Gillispie to sign a contract before he bolted?
I would guess that Kentucky’s lawyers will bring that up in court.
It’s hard to say if this is a lot about a little or a little about a lot.
Gillispie will be hired somewhere next year for what? At least a million a year? In other words $6 mil over six years?
I don’t think he’ll end up back at Copperas Cove for $50,000 a year. Do you?
I hear BusterSports.com is hiring.
JOHNSON
He’s never going to take another team to the College World Series, but he’s gotta be enjoying life. It doesn’t get much better in Huntsville than this. If he wins a game or two this weekend, they might build a statue.
For A&M coach Rob Childress, his Mendoza line of success is getting to Omaha. His season is really just starting. He’s gotta win in Fort Worth and Austin to have had a successful season in some people’s eyes.
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Posted by: On: 6/7/2009
Comment Title: amaze & re-amaze
I believe we're working toward that goal with Mike Sherman. Look, last year's team isn't a good reflection of Sherman's coaching ability. He had only 6 scholarship OL to work with who weren't true freshmen (and two of those 6 were redshirt freshmen), his senior QB got knocked out for the year in only the second game, the defensive players were recruited by the prior regime which ran a radically different scheme than Joe Kines. But Ags need to have realistic expectations too. As long as Mack Brown is in Austin and Bob Stoops is in Norman, it's going to be tough to break the stranglehold those two have on the South. I would certainly say both those coaches are among the top seven or eight college coaches out there. That's one of the reasons miller58 is soooo annoying. He's not realistic. It's possible for A&M to have a Top 10 team, but to be screaming for multiple BCS Title Game appearances is ludicrious. I think Sherman and DC Kines can break the Brown-Stoops stranglehold but it's not going to be this year and probably not next year either. The best analogy is Jackie Sherrill. He played .500 ball his first three years at A&M, against similar competition (Tex, Ark, SMU, UH were all Top 25 teams), and the fruits of his labors didn't really show themselves until his fourth season. But those first three year laid the groundwork for 15 years of success.
Posted by: Crocker R.A.B. On: 6/7/2009
Comment Title:
Fran had 5 years to get it done and he had one season you could truly classify as succesful. The 9-4 campaign that ended with a blow-out loss in the Holiday Bowl. But that's really the bottom line with you, isn't it miller58. You're still peeved at Fran getting the boot. Maybe you knew him, maybe you were neightbors. What ever the case may be, he's gone and he really wasn't very successful at A&M. And if you think Fran got shafted, that's nothing compared to what happened with RC. RC's dismissal was truly ugly.
Posted by: miller58 On: 6/2/2009
Comment Title: "DIVISION I COACHES WILL TAKE A LONG SECOND LOOK THE NEXT TIME TEXAS A&M COMES CALLING, AFTER THE RAW DEAL COACH FRAN RECEIVED !"
My personal opinions:_____Quote from a national sports publication, that says it all ?_____miller58
Posted by: On: 6/1/2009
Comment Title: re- amazed
Exactly on target. Now just how far are we away from your suggested "success" level at present and how far have we been away from it in the last 20 years. Dont single out one or two years from the past either. Show consistent Big12 performance at the level you suggest or a verifiable plan in progress to get there and someone will build a statue. So far away.
Posted by: On: 6/1/2009
Comment Title: amazed
I can't believe how so many people keep arguing back and forth about how a&m should be winning MNC's, winning recruiting titles and hiring the greatest coaches since the advent of sliced bread. If you historically, a&m has never had a top football program. Never will. If you think they will, you'll only give yourself heartburn, or worse. What you should expect from a&m is a winning record, to beat one the top teams (texas,ok) at home, win 80% of home games and 50% bowl games. If they can do that, they'll be successful.
Posted by: rellim85 On: 5/31/2009
Comment Title: miller58
Whoa, if miller58 said it; we better all pay attention!!
Posted by: On: 5/31/2009
Comment Title:
Say that another way so we know what you are getting at.
Posted by: miller58 On: 5/30/2009
Comment Title: _______________JAKE MATHEWS?
My personal opinions:_____Would it be logical for Jake Mathews to wait until after this football season to commit, if he is not going to A&M?_____Especially, if he is going somewhere else, how would it affect the playing time Kevin gets from Sherman, if he committed to someone else before the season starts?_____miller58
Posted by: Seeing Stars On: 5/30/2009
Comment Title: Front Page
If you cannot understand how we got where we are today with the football program a little insight is provided with the front page story in today's Eagle and some of the articles from the days before. The arrogance of McKinney with his "I don't seek committee advice, I make my own decisions" attitude should help you understand how a Sherman is put in place. As a micro-managing control freak, the "McKinney Connection" method of doing business behind closed doors with mindless regents moves a little further out of the closet. Also, consider the roles and agenda of the governor, regents, and chancellor in overall system operations and who appoints who. A few good ole boys want "Command and Control" not shared governance. This political, self-serving, dictatorship by a few misguided individuals is destroying a fine university on the field and in the classroom. Just as good professors decline an invitation to work here, so will good coaches. You will lose good students and good athletes because of it and become a second tier system at best. Vision 2010 had a goal of making this university one of the top public education systems in the nation. While sound athletic programs may be subordinate to that goal, they are no less important, especially from a fiscal standpoint. A handful of individuals are currently diminishing this university's reputation throughout the nation, a fact confirmed by many respected faculty and administrative leaders past and present. If you are not embarassed by recent events you should be. It is the job of current leaders to enhance the diploma of those who have gone before, not diminish it. No wonder good athletes turn us down. Next it will be good professors and then good students It's time for change. It's time for change now.
Posted by: Objective_Homer On: 5/29/2009
Comment Title: Miller
I just cant stand the brown nosing. ESPECIALLY when they spit on previous players and coaches in order to deflect attention away from the issues that could actually be changed if they had the guts to use a little creativity and write a story thats at least respectively critical. The ignorance makes me vomit. i live in the North TX area and plenty of writers are critical of local sports teams on paper as well as on radio. They seem to be doing just fine. Bob better be getting plenty of "perks" to be so transparant with his stories.
Posted by: miller58 On: 5/29/2009
Comment Title: RE: Sister - Objective Homer
My personal opinions:_____Sister, Objective Homer, some time when you have the opporunity, ask any TV, newspaper or radio reporter that covers A&M sports, off the record for their protection, "is tight control on what can and cannot be truthfully reported about A&M exercised?"_____Ask if they have concerns about just their acessability to coaches, etc. to just do their job, if they don't say the just the right things, and never the wrong things althouth they are both very truthful?_____Ask them what they think about some of the things the Aggie Spin Machine puts out?_____Get the real picture?_____For example I often report the exact truth in contrast to something the Aggie Spin Machine, has put out; and reportedly the Aggie Spin Machine has tried unsuccessfully to eliminate my truths and comments from the Eagle?_____You can read every day from the Aggie Spin Machine, on some Ag blogs, about how well Sherman is recruiting and coaching; maybe compared to Bryan high school, but after 3 recruiting classes, tu is still recruiting difference makers almost 6 times better, and ou almost 2 times better; and tu and ou both just won almost 3 times as many regular season games as Sherman, one played in a top bowl and the other in the mnc, while Sherman probably sipped eggnog and watched on tv?_____Sherman is recruiting and coaching better, compared to who, is my question?_____miller58
Posted by: Sister On: 5/29/2009
Comment Title:
I would like to see the Eagle ask these "hard" questions to the current Sherman staff. Why all the shifting around of players? Why the complete change of defense from one year to the next? Why the apparent lack of communication with players to help motivate them instead od kicking them off the team? Why do we say we have a bare cupboard on the offensive line when we have more linemen than other big12 teams? Why can't they be coached better if you are a specialist with offensive linemen? Why did you choose to not bring any coordinators with you who had recent college experience? etc, etc, etc. "The web site may crash" if the Eagle chose to question current coaches and let them know we are watching and have valid concerns instead of just using 20/20 hindsight and playing the after-the-fact all-knowing role that should have been used in the first place. Will you let the local San Antonio Express writer (Brent Zwerneman) continue to beat you to the punch on the uncomfortable questions? Will you EVER ask the hard question "or will questions like that be ignored". If you have the answers now, let us know now.
Posted by: Objective_Homer On: 5/29/2009
Comment Title: CESNA
Bob, I wonder why you NEVER criticize existing coaches??? You brown nose them while they're here and are critical after they leave??? Which is it? Why should anyone take your stories seriously???
Posted by: miller58 On: 5/29/2009
Comment Title: FIRING FRAN MAY BE THE STUPIDEST THING A&M GOOD OLE BOYS HAVE EVER DONE?
My personal opinions:_____Just the truthful numbers:_____Coach Fran in his last two years won 7 and 9 football games, on the rise from RC's decade lows?_____ Coach Fran also beat tu 2 years in a row; and A&M actually committed 14 four and five star difference makers the last year?_____Fran was bringing up to 20 four and five star difference makers with him, mostly defense, to the 2008 class as the last RC class finally graduated to finally make scholarship room!_____ Truthful numbers that the Aggie Spin Machine can't deny; but will be sent out to falsely spin, just to protect the jobs of the people that made this huge mistake for A&M's future?_____miller58
