It’s Time for a Head Coach Reality Check, Big Blue Nation
Nov 13, 2011; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indianapolis Colts game day consultant Jim Tressel sits on the bench before the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-US PRESSWIRE
Big Blue Nation is an inspired and passionate fanbase. We want the best for our team and we want to be a part of a winner. That’s why John Calipari is the perfect basketball coach. He is just as passionate about winning as the fans and he has produced amazing results.
Joker Phillips was officially fired on Sunday afternoon. This prompted Big Blue Nation to take to twitter, message boards and comment sections on blogs to express their desire for a new head coach. Some of the names being talked about such as Sonny Dykes, Tommy Tuberville, Neal Brown, David Cutcliffe, and Phillip Fulmer seem like real possibilities. Others do not.
I’m not saying that Mitch Barnhart shouldn’t go for the gold, because he absolutely should. What I’m saying is that A). Some of these coaches I’m about to list would never come to Kentucky; and B). Some of them we wouldn’t want to be here. Not in a million years.
Let’s take a look at some of the most ridiculous suggestions and why they won’t be in Lexington when football starts in August 2013.
Jim Tressel
Accomplishments- Four Division I-AA titles at Youngstown State; 2002 National Champion at Ohio State; 229-79-2 career record
Where is he now? Vice President of Strategic Engagement at the University of Akron.
Why you won’t see him at Kentucky: Tressel got into some hot water with the NCAA while at Ohio State. There was this little matter of his players trading memorabilia (bowl rings, jerseys, etc…) for cash and tattoos. The NCAA caught the players and asked Tressel about it. He lied to the NCAA and said he had no prior knowledge of the infractions. Well, it was found that he did have knowledge of what was going on and he was ousted in Columbus. He is currently serving a five year “Show Cause” ban with the NCAA. This means that whoever hires him has to go to the NCAA and convince those in charge that they should lift the ban. Tressel is two years into his probation and has three to go. That means that if Kentucky did hire him, chances are he would just sit for three years and collect paychecks without actually coaching a team. Tressel knows the reality of the situation and I doubt he will be looking for a job anytime in the near future.
Bobby Petrino
Accomplishments- Won a BCS Orange Bowl at UofL; Won the Cotton Bowl at Arkansas; coached half a season in the NFL; 75-26 record as a collegiate coach
Where is he now? Trying to repair his marriage and image.
Why you won’t see him at Kentucky: Let’s get something out of the way right now: Bobby Petrino despises Kentucky and Mitch Barnhart is not the president of the Bobby P fan club. While Petrino was at UofL he constantly mocked Kentucky and even had framed photos of the absurd UofL vs. UK scores on his office wall. My bet is that Petrino will end up at Auburn, a school that tried to lure him out of Louisville in a series of secret/not so secret meetings back in 2003, but he stayed at Louisville and then bolted for the Falcons job after winning the Orange Bowl. The bottom line is that Petrino is a disaster waiting to happen. He is going to win wherever he goes, but he is not the answer for a team looking for someone to stabilize and build onto a sinking program.